Living With Parkinson's
- Ozzy Osbourne, who is living with Parkinson’s at age 76, will soon be getting back on stage and reuniting with his fellow original Black Sabbath members, something he announced this week.
- He will be joining Tony Iommi, Geezer Butler and Bill Ward to play at Villa Park in Birmingham, England, on July 5, 2025, marking their first performance together in 20 years.
- We’re glad to see Osbourne able to make the upcoming show after he’s reportedly been unsteady on his feet from Parkinson’s disease, which he was diagnosed with in 2003, and had a life-altering surgery to remove and realign pins in his neck and back in June 2022. Prior to that operation, he dealt with nerve pain, blood clots, depression, staph infections, and surgery to fix his neck after falling in a bathroom in January 2019. The bathroom fall came about 16 years after the musician’s quad-bike accident at this Buckinghamshire home.
- Parkinson’s disease is “a brain disorder that causes unintended or uncontrollable movements, such as shaking, stiffness, and difficulty with balance and coordination,” according to the National Council on Aging. Symptoms for this chronic illness tend to worsen over time.
- Patients may also be motivated to keep their diagnoses private because they want to reclaim a sense of normalcy and protect their loved ones. If you find yourself wrestling with your emotions because of a diagnosis, remember you don’t have to go it alone. Your support group filled with loved ones are there to help you on your journey.
Osbourne announced on Instagram this week that he will be joining Tony Iommi, Geezer Butler and Bill Ward to play at Villa Park in Birmingham, England, on July 5, 2025, marking their first performance together in 20 years.
Read MoreOsbourne shared the announcement on Instagram, which read, “The original @BlackSabbath – Ozzy Osbourne, Tony Iommi, Geezer Butler and Bill Ward – will play for the first time in 20 years. The band will take to the stage to headline BACK TO THE BEGINNING on July 5th at Villa Park.View this post on Instagram
“The all-star event will celebrate the true creators of heavy metal and will see @OzzyOsbourne play his own short set before joining with Black Sabbath for his final bow.”
The iconic rock star said in a statement, “It’s my time to go Back to the Beginning….time for me to give back to the place where I was born.
“How blessed am I to do it with the help of people whom I love. Birmingham is the true home of metal. Birmingham Forever.”
More On Parkinson's Disease
- Fighting Parkinson’s Together, Ozzy and Sharon Osbourne Celebrate 41 Years of Love
- Michael J. Fox’s Determination to Remain Positive During Decades-Long Parkinson’s Journey Shows Cancer Patients the Importance of Optimism
- Actor Ryan Reynolds’ Deep Regret Over How He Handled His Father’s Death from Parkinson’s Disease: ‘I Didn’t Really Know What Was Happening’
- ‘No Bad Days’: How Country Music Band Alabama Stuck Together Through Prostate Cancer and Parkinson’s Disease
The show, which will feature sets from bands Metallica, Slayer, Pantera, Gojira, Alice in Chains, Lamb of God, Anthrax, and Mastodon Rocks, was praised as “the greatest heavy metal show ever” by music director Tom Morello.
“Formed in Birmingham in 1968 and going on to become one of most successful metal bands of all time, Black Sabbath have sold over 75 million albums worldwide across their legendary career. Setting the blueprint for the many routes heavy metal took, Black Sabbath’s influence and importance is as vital today as it was in the early 1970s.
Osbourne’s announcement explained further, “The all-day event will also feature a supergroup of musicians. Artists announced so far include @BillyCorgan (The Smashing Pumpkins), @DavidMDraiman (Disturbed), @DuffMcKagan & @Slash (Guns ‘n Roses), @theFrankBello (Anthrax), FredDurst (Limp Bizkit), Jake E Lee, @officialJonathanDavis (Korn), KK Downing, Lzzy Hale (Halestorm), Mike Bordin (Faith No More), Rudy Sarzo, @SammyHagar, @ScottIanthrax (Anthrax), Sleep Token ii (Sleep Token), Papa V Perpetua (Ghost), @TomMorello (Rage Against The Machine), @WolfVanHalen and @ZakkWyldeBLS.”
Tickets are set to go on sale on on Friday, February 14 at LiveNation.co.uk and profits will go toward, Cure Parkinsons, Birmingham Childrens Hospital and Acorn Childrens Hospice.
The upcoming concert comes two years after the English singer and TV personality announced his retirement from touring in a lengthy Instagram post on February 3, 2023.
View this post on Instagram
He wrote in the heartfelt post, “This is probably one of the hardest things I’ve ever had to share with my loyal fans. As you may all know, four years ago, this month, I had a major accident, where I damaged my spine.
“My one and only purpose during this time has been to get back on stage. My singing voice is fine. However, after three operations, stem cell treatments, endless physical therapy sessions, and most recently groundbreaking Cybernics (HAL) Treatment, my body is still physically weak.”
Osbourne continued, “I am honestly humbled by the way you’ve all patiently held onto your tickets for all this time, but in all good conscience, I have now come to the realization that I’m not physically capable of doing my upcoming European/UK tour dates, as I know I couldn’t deal with the travel required. Believe me when I say that the thought of disappointing my fans really FUCKS ME UP, more than you will ever know.
“Never would I have imagined that my touring days would have ended this way. My team is currently coming up with ideas for where I will be able to perform without having to travel from city to city and country to country.”
We’re glad to see Osbourne able to make the upcoming show as he’s reportedly been unsteady on his feet from Parkinson’s disease and had a life-altering surgery to remove and realign pins in his neck and back in June 2022, according to Page Six.
Before that operation, Osbourne dealt with nerve pain, blood clots, depression, staph infections, and surgery to fix his neck after falling in a bathroom in January 2019. The bathroom fall came about 16 years after the musician’s quad-bike accident at this Buckinghamshire home.
Living With Parkinson’s Disease
Back in 2020, Ozzy Osbourne announced he had Parkinson’s, a diagnosis he received in 2003.
Speaking to The Observer in 2022, Osbourne touched on the physical and mental struggles of the disease. “You think you’re lifting your feet, but your foot doesn’t move,” he said. “I feel like I’m walking around in lead boots.”
Regarding how he felt at around the time when he went public about his disease, Osbourne, who was also struggling with depression at the time, said “I reached a plateau that was lower than I wanted it to be. Nothing really felt great. Nothing. So I went on these antidepressants, and they work OK.”
View this post on Instagram
However, he was able to power through the tough times with the help of his wife Sharon and daughter Kelly. “Without my Sharon, I’d be f***ing gone. We have a little row now and then, but otherwise we just get on with it.”
Sharon Osbourne has been by her husband’s side during her colon cancer diagnosis in 2002. She underwent three months of chemotherapy to treat her disease. After a successful treatment, she remains cancer-free today.
Like Osbourne, Michael J. Fox, 63, is also living with the disease. Fox was diagnosed with early-onset Parkinson’s in 1991 when he was just 29. He kept his diagnosis private for seven years before sharing it with the public in 1998, and has since become a spokesperson for Parkinson’s and led the charge on more research and funding for this disease.
His organization, The Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research, is dedicated to finding a cure for Parkinson’s disease by funding research and developing therapies.
Understanding Parkinson’s
Parkinson’s is a chronic illness that impacts the nervous system. Over time, more symptoms start to appear in the body. There is currently no cure for Parkinson’s, but researchers like those at The Michael J. Fox Foundation are working to change that.
Medications can be taken to mitigate and control some symptoms of Parkinson’s. Some of these medications include dopamine promoters, antidepressants, cognition-enhancing medication, and anti-tremor medication.
For people living with a disease like Parkinson’s, Fox previously shared some advice during his AARP interview, saying, “Have an active life and do not let yourself get isolated and marginalized. You can live with it. People sometimes say that a relative or a parent or a friend died of Parkinson’s. You don’t die of Parkinson’s. You die with Parkinson’s, because once you have it, you have it for life until we can remedy that, and we’re working hard at it.”
“So, to live with it, you need to exercise and be in shape and to eat well,” says Fox. ” If you can’t drive, find a way to get around. Maintain friendships. Don’t say, ‘Oh, I don’t have anything to say to Bob.’ Bob might have something to say to you. Just make the call.”
Adjusting to Life After a Diagnosis
A Parkinson’s, or cancer, diagnosis will undoubtedly upend your life in some form, but learning to cope with the onset of changes can make the adjustment easier to bear. You may notice your emotions and feelings fluctuating, ranging from high anxiety to depression. Experiencing a range of emotions and feelings is completely normal.
Psychiatrist Dr. Lori Plutchik says your emotions are likely to be fluid in the first few days, weeks, and possibly even months after a diagnosis.
Cancer patients are encouraged to build a support system of people they trust to help manage these emotions during this sensitive period. Mental health professionals are also very helpful in managing emotions during the cancer journey.
Cancer and treatment can have an impact on your physical appearance. Chemotherapy, for example, often causes hair loss, which can drastically alter how you view yourself.
Licensed clinical psychologist Dr. Marianna Strongin explained to SurvivorNet, “Cancer changes who you are both physically and emotionally.”
Flourish a story of empowerment, strength, & yoga
A study published in Frontiers in Psychology questioned how self-esteem should be considered in cancer patients. Researchers noted cancer patients’ framing of their diagnosis and how they cope with their diagnosis and subsequent treatment impacts their self-esteem throughout their cancer journeys.
“Adaptive adjustment strategies (positive reframing, use of emotional support, active coping, acceptance, and planning) in breast cancer patients were associated with high self-esteem. Social support also appears to be strongly related to self-esteem,” the study says.
Dr. Strongin suggests looking at the part or parts of your body impacted by the cancer or cancer treatment to help you cope with body changes. She recommends creating a regular practice of accepting your body image because it enables you to accept your cancer journey emotionally and physically.
“As you allow yourself to spend more time looking at all of you, you will begin having a new relationship with your body. It may not happen immediately, but you can start honoring and thanking your new body with time.
“Just because the treatment is behind you, the emotional recovery can take longer,” Dr. Strongin adds.
If you find yourself wrestling with your emotions because of a diagnosis, remember you don’t have to go it alone. Your support group is filled with loved ones who are there to help you on your journey.
Contributing: SurvivorNet Staff
Learn more about SurvivorNet's rigorous medical review process.
