Terry Crews’ Wife, Rebecca, Reveals She Has Parkinson’s Disease
America’s Got Talent host Terry Crews and his wife, Rebecca King Crews, recently appeared on the TODAY show to discuss her battle with Parkinson’s disease.
Rebecca first noticed symptoms in 2012, starting with slight numbness in her left foot that eventually developed into a limp, she shared. Her personal trainer also noticed she was losing mobility in her left arm. Later, she began to experience hand tremors.
It wasn’t until three years later, after multiple doctor’s visits and appointments with a neurologist, that she officially received her Parkinson’s diagnosis.
The Crews family has kept her health journey completely private until now. But after 11 years, she feels ready to tell her story after undergoing a groundbreaking procedure.
Recently, Rebecca Underwent A Surgical Procedure Called Focused Ultrasound (FUS)
The procedure is relatively new and was only approved by the Food and Drug Administration last year.
It is a non-invasive, incision-free treatment that uses MRI-guided high-intensity sound waves to create a precise lesion in the brain, disrupting the faulty circuits that cause tremors and motor issues.
According to the Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research, the treatment is performed on one side of the body at a time. The patient must wait at least six months before another session.
However, this is not a cure for Parkinson’s. Focused ultrasound can often reduce symptoms for candidates, but it doesn’t replace medication.
Rebecca is still in the recovery period after the procedure, but she’s already noticing improvements in her daily functioning.
“I’m able to write with my right hand for the first time in probably three years,” she revealed.
Her husband of 36 years also added what witnessing that moment was like for him.
“To watch her go through what she’s gone through over the last 10 to 12 years has been very, very hard.” Terry said. “The tremors, the not sleeping, the loss of balance. To watch her write her name for the first time in three years, I don’t know what to say. I’m choked up just thinking about it. … She’s a superhero.”
Rebecca explained that the reason this is the first time they’ve publicly revealed her diagnosis is because she doesn’t “believe in telling my story just so you can know my story and feel sorry for me.”
But now, she’s one of the very few people who’ve ever undergone the focused ultrasound. So, she feels the responsibility to share her experience and raise awareness.
By sharing information about this new treatment for Parkinson’s patients, she could help make it more accessible to others, since it is very expensive.
The procedure is not yet covered by insurance and must be paid out of pocket. According to the FUS Foundation, the procedure costs around $40,000
“I really believe that this procedure and others like it are the new frontier of medicine,” she said. “I’m excited about the possibility. I felt that I wanted to potentially make it more available to others … and just give hope to people with Parkinson’s.”