After the diagnosis of Parkinson’s Disease (PD) for former heavyweight champion Muhammad Ali, you might be forgiven for thinking that boxing, which is known to cause serious head trauma, is the last thing someone with PD should be doing.
But the Michael J. Fox Foundation, named after its eponymous founder who also suffers from the disease, is looking to encourage PD patients into the ring to help their symptoms.
Specifically, it wants to help patients learn a non-contact form of boxing but one that still mimics many of the moves and, as such, helps boost movement, coordination, and general exercise, all of which is believed to help PD patients better manage their condition.
To this end, Team Fox, the grassroots fundraising community of The Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research (MJFF), is getting in the ring with New York-based fitness group Rumble Boxing.
Rumble will ask community members to “glove up” in support of Parkinson's by hosting an Open House from April 10 to April 16, during Parkinson’s Disease Awareness Month.
Cash from the classes will "support the global research efforts" of The Michael J. Fox Foundation, the company said in a press release.
“We are honored to partner with The Michael J. Fox Foundation to help raise awareness for Parkinson’s disease and help people find ways to cope with movement disorders in a fun and motivating way,” said Rumble’s Chief Marketing Officer, Rachelle Dejean, in the release.
“Parkinson’s disease affects people of all ages and each journey is unique. We look forward to inviting people around the world to throw punches together for an important cause.”