Over Thanksgiving break, America received some surprising news about one of television’s most acclaimed comic actors. Michael J. Fox, known to millions as Alex P. Keaton, the young Reagonite from “Family Ties,” revealed to People Magazine that he has been battling Parkinson’s disease for the past seven years. Shortly afterward, he had a frank interview with Barbara Walters.

Afflicting more than one million people per year, Parkinson’s is a disease that attacks the central nervous system.

Perhaps the most surprising aspect of Fox’s plight is his age: According to People, only 10 percent of Parkinson’s cases are under the age of 40. Fox is 37-year-old man who has been playing teen-agers for more than half of his career.

He delivered his news about his debilitating disease on his own accord. Fox, who has been harassed by the tabloids for years, was in no danger of having his disease made public. (In fact, Fox had brain surgery last year, and the Enquirer was none the wiser.)

And since Fox was brave enough to discuss his disease with a nationwide audience, only positive things can come from his admission.

When Irving “Magic” Johnson revealed that he was HIV-positive in 1991, he made the nation take the disease more seriously. People who had long attributed the words “HIV” and “AIDS” with gay men realized that the disease was now everybody’s issue.

Female celebrities, including actress Olivia Newton-John and the late Linda McCartney, were extremely active in the fight against breast cancer, even though they were struggling with the disease daily.

All of these people, by sharing their stories with the world, gave new momentum to efforts to cure these diseases and raised public awareness.

True, it is a sad commentary on society that it takes celebrity revelations about diseases to “legitimize” them.

Although celebrities like Fox, Johnson and Newton-John have certainly been active in educating the masses about their diseases, they are not the only heros.

The non-celebrities who struggle with these diseases daily are also heros — but it is the actions of those who the world watches that get the fastest results.

Michael J. Fox has the clout to make some real strides in the fight for the cure for Parkinson’s. He is a talented comic actor; he could be a powerful activist.

During his tenure as America’s sweetheart, Michael J. Fox won Emmys, fortune and fame. Now it’s his turn to make a difference.