Several months after Eric Dane announced his ALS diagnosis, he has discussed the significance of sharing his journey.
At 53, Dane disclosed in April that he had been diagnosed with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), a progressive condition affecting nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord, according to Mayo Clinic.
“I have been diagnosed with ALS. I am grateful to have my loving family by my side as we navigate this next chapter,” the Grey’s Anatomy star shared with People.
Initial symptoms include muscle control issues such as twitching, weakness in limbs, or trouble swallowing or speaking. Over time, ALS progresses to impact muscles necessary for movement, speech, eating, and breathing.
The Muscular Dystrophy Association notes that ALS currently has no cure, with most individuals living three to five years post-diagnosis.
In the wake of his diagnosis, Dane and his wife, Rebecca Gayheart, have been candid about the impact of ALS on their family.
During a panel with Brian Wallach and Sandra Abrevaya, advocates for ALS awareness, Dane opened up about living with this challenging condition.
According to People, he stated: “I have no reason to be in a good spirit at any time, on any given day, I don’t think anybody would blame me if I went upstairs in my bedroom, crawled under the sheets, and spent the next two weeks crying.
“And I was a little bit pleasantly surprised when I realized that I wasn’t built like that, because I thought for sure that was gonna be me.”
Dane emphasized the importance of sharing his experiences with his followers worldwide.
He expressed that documenting his journey offers ‘a propulsive sort of component to my existence’ and mentioned he didn’t want it to be ‘all about me’.
“You know, obviously, I have a family at home, and they’re the priority. But this is such a big deal to me,” Dane commented.
He added: “I make sure that people are aware of what ALS is and what it’s about, and more importantly, what we can do to combat it and improve the landscape, because it’s so rocky and littered with hurdles and bureaucracy and all this other nonsense that we’re trying to sift through so we can get to a place where we go, start working on solution.”
Earlier this year, Dane appeared on Good Morning America, discussing the initial signs that raised concerns about his health.