Ryan Reynolds candidly shared his experiences of his father's battle with Parkinson's disease during an Acadia Pharmaceuticals panel for Parkinson's Awareness Month in New York City. His father, James Chester, suffered from the degenerative disease for over two decades until his passing in 2015, which profoundly impacted his family, particularly due to the psychological challenges he faced, such as hallucinations and delusions. Reynolds highlighted the stigma associated with the disease and expressed that earlier access to treatment could have significantly improved his father's quality of life. He also addressed the caregiver fatigue experienced by his mother, who was the primary caregiver, and the challenges of caring for someone who is not receptive to help. Reynolds emphasized the importance of support for both patients and caregivers, demonstrating his empathy for all affected by such illnesses.

Ryan Reynolds attended a panel in New York City where he discussed his father James Chester's long struggle with Parkinson's disease, which he battled for two decades until his death in 2015.

James Chester, a working-class man with four children, experienced significant psychological challenges due to Parkinson's, including hallucinations and delusions, which added to the stigma of the disease.

Reynolds believes that if treatments for the psychological effects of Parkinson's had been available earlier, his father's sense of well-being and reality could have been significantly improved.

The actor discussed the emotional and physical toll on caregivers, particularly his mother, who was the primary caregiver and faced substantial fatigue while managing the responsibilities of caring for her husband.

Reynolds expressed his understanding and support for caregivers, noting the difficulty in helping someone who is prideful and reluctant to accept assistance.

He underscored the importance of providing support not only to the patients but also to the caregivers, who often bear a significant emotional burden.

Reynolds' reflections highlight the broader impacts of chronic illnesses on families and the need for comprehensive support systems for both patients and their caregivers.

Ryan Reynolds is getting vulnerable about his father’s battle with Parkinson’s disease.

The 48-year-old actor attended the Acadia Pharmaceuticals’ panel for Parkinson’s Awareness Month in New York City on Friday (April 25). There, he opened up about witnessing his father James Chester experience the neurological disorder for two decades until his death in 2015.

“A man with four children, working class, dealing with a disease that is degenerative and something that will one day render him physically unable to take care of himself or others, that is going to have a profound effect on the psyche. That’s not easy. He was one of the many Parkinson’s patients experiencing these hallucinations and delusions, and it’s remarkable how you can layer cake a stigma,” Ryan told People.

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He continued, “He was a proud man, probably said the word Parkinson’s twice in his whole life. So he certainly wasn’t going to talk about some of the psychological effects it was having on him. And if there was treatment for that, if there was something available back then, I think his whole life would’ve improved. I think his sense of wellbeing would’ve been restored. His sense of reality would’ve been restored.”

The Deadpool & Wolverine star also reflected on how his father’s condition affected those around him.

“There is a real kind of caregiver fatigue, and there’s a kind of bag of rocks that you carry around with you where you’re the one that’s basically responsible for caring for this person, caring for yourself. It’s very hard being the person. My mom was that person. She was the primary caregiver for my father,” he explained.

“When you have somebody who’s very prideful like that, he’s not going to accept help from anyone else. So I feel for them as much as I do the patients. So when they reach out, I really make time for all of them, not just the one who’s dealing with the disease,” he added.

If you didn’t see, earlier this week, Ryan talked about a major career lesson he recently learned.