The Michael J. Fox Foundation is hoping a pair of iconic sneakers made famous by the organization's namesake will help fuel Parkinson's research.
MJFF has teamed up with Nike, the maker of the Nike Mag sneaker which Fox famously wore on screen in Back to the Future II, in launching a fundraising effort that could not only fund more research but also give members of the public a chance to own their own pair, the Foundation announced in a blog post earlier this week.
An online draw puts a pair of the limited-edition 2016 Nike Mag sneakers within reach for $10 a ticket, with all proceeds going directly to the Foundation.
[Also: Michael J. Fox Foundation launches Parkinson's data challenge]
Most of the shoes are available to residents of the United States and Canada through a digital draw, with no limit to the number of tickets a entrant can buy. The Draw will run through Tuesday, October 11 and winners will be notified Monday, October 17.
The remaining pairs will be auctioned off live in Hong Kong on October 11, in London on October 14 and 17, and at MJFF's benefit gala A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to Cure Parkinson's on November 12 in New York.
[Also: Michael J. Fox Foundation and Parkinson's Action Network announce plans to integrate]
Parkinson's Diseases affects more than five million people around the world, and is second only to Alzheimer's Disease in prevalent neurological disorders. Motor symptoms progress from mild tremors to serious disability, and also non-motor symptoms include depression, fatigue, cognitive impairment, and digestive issues, according to MJFF.
While current treatments help control some symptoms, they can lose effectiveness over time and do not slow down the progression of the disease, the Foundation said.
Twitter: @BethJSanborn