
The Rev. Jesse Jackson was hospitalized on Wednesday and is under observation for a neurodegenerative condition, his organization, Rainbow PUSH Coalition, said in a statement.
Jackson, 84, has been managing the condition, called progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP), for over a decade, according to the organization he founded.
“He was originally diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease; however, last April, his PSP condition was confirmed,” the organization said. “The family appreciates all prayers at this time.”
The disorder damages certain areas of the brain and affects a person’s walking, swallowing, balance and eye movements, according to the Mayo Clinic. The condition worsens over time and can lead to dangerous complications, including trouble swallowing and pneumonia.
The disease typically affects people over the age of 60, and symptoms can mimic those of Parkinson’s.
There is no cure for the disease, but treatment options to help with symptoms include physical and occupational therapy, Botox, antidepressants, eyeglasses with prism or bifocal lenses, and Parkinson’s disease medications.
In a 2017 statement following news of his Parkinson’s diagnosis, Jackson said that his family began noticing symptoms three years prior and that his father also had the disease.
Jackson became a civil rights icon in the 1960s, participating in marches alongside Martin Luther King Jr. and playing a pivotal role in movements for equality and justice. He ran for the Democratic presidential nomination in 1984 and 1988.
He was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the nation’s highest civilian honor, by President Bill Clinton in August 2000.
Jackson founded the National Rainbow Coalition in 1984. It merged with Operation PUSH in September 1996 to form the Rainbow PUSH Coalition.
This article was originally published on NBCNews.com
LATEST POSTS
- 1
Pick Your Favored method of transportation - 2
SpaceX's 1st 'Version 3' Super Heavy Starship booster buckles under pressure during initial tests - 3
Solid Propensities: Little Changes for a Superior Life - 4
Step by step instructions to Lessen Your Gamble of Creating Cellular breakdown in the lungs - 5
Game theory explains why reasonable parents make vaccine choices that fuel outbreaks
I binged all 24 Hallmark Christmas movies in less than 30 days. I emerged a changed man.
Culinary Joys: Investigating Connoisseur Cooking at Home
Robert Irwin on winning 'Dancing With the Stars' 10 years after sister Bindi: 'This was everything I dreamed it would be and so much more'
Reality TV star Spencer Pratt, who lost his home in Palisades Fire, is running for mayor of Los Angeles
How to watch 2026 Golden Globe winners like 'One Battle After Another,' 'Adolescence' and 'The Pitt'
Firefighters rescue two Israelis trapped in vehicles on flooded roads in West Bank
Hundreds are quarantined in South Carolina as measles spreads in 2 US outbreaks
Selena Quintanilla documentary 'Selena y Los Dinos: A Family's Legacy' is coming to Netflix
Figure out How to Streamline Eco-friendliness in Your Volvo XC40











