Michael J Fox is a Canadian-American actor, author, and activist with a career that has spanned film and television. He first came to fame for his role as Marty McFly in the Back to the Future trilogy, but he’s also been known to star in films such as Family Ties and Spin City.

Despite being diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease at 29 years old, Fox didn’t let the illness stop him from living a full life. He fought to stay positive in the face of adversity, and his positive outlook has been an inspiration for many people.

Fox has been an avid advocate for Parkinson’s awareness and funding since he was diagnosed with the disease. He founded the Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research in 2000, and to date the nonprofit has invested more than $650 million in research into finding a cure.

He’s also an incredible writer, and his books Lucky Man (2002), The Adventures of an Incurable Optimist (2009), and A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Future: Twists and Turns and Lessons Learned (2010) are full of advice and wisdom that you can apply to your life.

When it comes to his acting, he’s been able to deliver in the face of adversity. His performance in Atlantis: The Lost Empire, a Disney animated film that starred Fox as Milo Thatch, an enterprising linguist and cartographer, was particularly impressive.

Still, Fox has a lot of work ahead of him as he continues to fight Parkinson’s and find a cure for the degenerative disorder. He’s got a new movie in the works and plans to continue to focus on his foundation, which has become the largest provider of funds for Parkinson’s research.