In October 2021, country music star Alan Jackson sat down with Jenna Bush Hagar on the TODAY Show and disclosed that he has Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease (CMT), a hereditary peripheral neuropathy that affects the nerves controlling muscles and sensation in the limbs. He told Hagar that he has been living with balance problems related to CMT for more than a decade.

Following the interview, Prevention magazine contacted the Hereditary Neuropathy Foundation (HNF) for more information about CMT. HNF Founder and CEO Allison Moore was quoted in the article:

“As a fellow CMT patient, I feel complete empathy for Alan Jackson and his struggles living with this disease for over a decade. Today we stand proudly on the forefront of the first potential drug to treat CMT. We’ve never been more hopeful and excited to help the millions of CMT families like Alan Jackson’s live long and healthy lives.”Allison Moore, Founder and CEO, Hereditary Neuropathy Foundation

The CMT community responded with an outpouring of support and gratitude across social media. People living with CMT thanked Jackson for bringing public attention to a disease that is often misunderstood or simply unknown. CMT is relatively rare, and its name does not immediately signal a neurological condition, which has contributed to low public awareness. Many in the community have long hoped that a prominent public figure would bring the kind of visibility to CMT that Michael J. Fox has brought to Parkinson’s disease, or that Lou Gehrig brought to ALS.

Jackson’s disclosure came at a meaningful moment for CMT research. Biotech and pharmaceutical companies have been entering the space in growing numbers, working to develop therapeutics for the many different subtypes of CMT. HNF and its partners have been advancing research through initiatives such as the Global Registry for Inherited Neuropathies (GRIN), which helps connect patients with clinical studies and research opportunities.

If you would like to support CMT research, consider joining GRIN or making a donation toward research for your type of CMT.