Eric Dane Gets Candid about ALS Diagnosis: "My Right Side Has Completely Stopped Working"
Eric Dane has opened up about his recent ALS diagnosis on 'Good Morning America,' telling Diane Sawyer in an emotional interview that he now only has 'one functioning arm.'
'My left side is functioning, my right side has completely stopped working,' he said, noting that his left arm has been getting weaker as well. 'I feel like maybe a couple more months and I won't have my left hand either. It's sobering.'
The 52-year-old 'Grey's Anatomy' and 'Euphoria' star was diagnosed in April after nine months of testing. He first started having symptoms a year and a half ago when he began to experience weakness in his right hand.
'I didn't really think anything of it at the time,' Dane added. 'I thought maybe I'd been texting too much or my hand was fatigued, but a few weeks later I noticed it got a little worse. So I went and saw a hand specialist, who sent me to another hand specialist. I went and saw a neurologist and the neurologist sent me to another neurologist and said, 'This is way above my pay grade.''
ALS is a fatal, progressive, degenerative disease that breaks down the nerves in the body, weakening muscles and causing eventual paralysis, impacting patients' ability to breathe, speak, and move. There is no known cure.
'I will never forget those three letters,' Dane said. 'It's on me the second I wake up. It's not a dream.'
Dane teared up when speaking about the support of his wife, Rebecca Gayheart, with whom he has two daughters, Billie Beatrice, 15, and Georgia Geraldine, 13.
'We have managed to become better friends and better parents. She is probably my biggest champion and my most stalwart supporter, and I lean on her," he said.
While Dane can still walk, he is now worried about the functionality in his legs, recounting a scary experience snorkeling with his daughter where he realized he didn't have enough energy to swim. His daughter had to rescue him from the water.
'She dragged me back to the boat,' Dane noted. 'I was like, breaking down in tears. I made sure she got back to the water with her friend and continued on with the snorkeling. I was just heartbroken.'
The actor, who is returning to 'Euphoria' Season 3 despite the diagnosis, was adamant that this isn't the end of his story.
'In my heart, I don't feel like this is the end for me,' Dane said. 'I'm fighting as much as I can. There's so much about it that's out of my control.'
The actor added that he is 'very' angry about the diagnosis since he lost his father when he was just 7 years old to suicide. 'I'm angry because my father was taken from me when I was young, and now there's a very good chance I'm going to be taken from my girls when they're very young,' he said.
Along with 'Euphoria,' Dane also stars in the Amazon Prime Video series 'Countdown,' premiering on June 25. In a recent interview with Variety, Dane said he is still 'ready and willing to do just about anything' in the acting scene.
'But I have limitations that I understand will preclude me from playing certain roles,' he added. 'I'm working on 'Euphoria.' I finished 'Countdown.' As far as that goes, I'm pretty capable.'
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Eric Dane Gets Candid about ALS Diagnosis: "My Right Side Has Completely Stopped Working"
Yara Sameh Eric Dane has opened up about his recent ALS diagnosis on 'Good Morning America,' telling Diane Sawyer in an emotional interview that he now only has 'one functioning arm.' 'My left side is functioning, my right side has completely stopped working,' he said, noting that his left arm has been getting weaker as well. 'I feel like maybe a couple more months and I won't have my left hand either. It's sobering.' The 52-year-old 'Grey's Anatomy' and 'Euphoria' star was diagnosed in April after nine months of testing. He first started having symptoms a year and a half ago when he began to experience weakness in his right hand. 'I didn't really think anything of it at the time,' Dane added. 'I thought maybe I'd been texting too much or my hand was fatigued, but a few weeks later I noticed it got a little worse. So I went and saw a hand specialist, who sent me to another hand specialist. I went and saw a neurologist and the neurologist sent me to another neurologist and said, 'This is way above my pay grade.'' ALS is a fatal, progressive, degenerative disease that breaks down the nerves in the body, weakening muscles and causing eventual paralysis, impacting patients' ability to breathe, speak, and move. There is no known cure. 'I will never forget those three letters,' Dane said. 'It's on me the second I wake up. It's not a dream.' Dane teared up when speaking about the support of his wife, Rebecca Gayheart, with whom he has two daughters, Billie Beatrice, 15, and Georgia Geraldine, 13. 'We have managed to become better friends and better parents. She is probably my biggest champion and my most stalwart supporter, and I lean on her," he said. While Dane can still walk, he is now worried about the functionality in his legs, recounting a scary experience snorkeling with his daughter where he realized he didn't have enough energy to swim. His daughter had to rescue him from the water. 'She dragged me back to the boat,' Dane noted. 'I was like, breaking down in tears. I made sure she got back to the water with her friend and continued on with the snorkeling. I was just heartbroken.' The actor, who is returning to 'Euphoria' Season 3 despite the diagnosis, was adamant that this isn't the end of his story. 'In my heart, I don't feel like this is the end for me,' Dane said. 'I'm fighting as much as I can. There's so much about it that's out of my control.' The actor added that he is 'very' angry about the diagnosis since he lost his father when he was just 7 years old to suicide. 'I'm angry because my father was taken from me when I was young, and now there's a very good chance I'm going to be taken from my girls when they're very young,' he said. Along with 'Euphoria,' Dane also stars in the Amazon Prime Video series 'Countdown,' premiering on June 25. In a recent interview with Variety, Dane said he is still 'ready and willing to do just about anything' in the acting scene. 'But I have limitations that I understand will preclude me from playing certain roles,' he added. 'I'm working on 'Euphoria.' I finished 'Countdown.' As far as that goes, I'm pretty capable.' read more New Tourism Route To Launch in Old Cairo Ahmed El Sakka-Led Play 'Sayidati Al Jamila' to Be Staged in KSA on Dec. 6 Mandy Moore Joins Season 2 of "Dr. Death" Anthology Series Don't Miss These Movies at 44th Cairo Int'l Film Festival Today Amr Diab to Headline KSA's MDLBEAST Soundstorm 2022 Festival Arts & Culture Mai Omar Stuns in Latest Instagram Photos Arts & Culture "The Flash" to End with Season 9 Arts & Culture Ministry of Culture Organizes four day Children's Film Festival Arts & Culture Canadian PM wishes Muslims Eid-al-Adha News China Launches Largest Ever Aircraft Carrier Sports Former Al Zamalek Player Ibrahim Shika Passes away after Long Battle with Cancer Lifestyle Get to Know 2025 Eid Al Adha Prayer Times in Egypt Business Fear & Greed Index Plummets to Lowest Level Ever Recorded amid Global Trade War Arts & Culture Zahi Hawass: Claims of Columns Beneath the Pyramid of Khafre Are Lies News Flights suspended at Port Sudan Airport after Drone Attacks Videos & Features Video: Trending Lifestyle TikToker Valeria Márquez Shot Dead during Live Stream News Shell Unveils Cost-Cutting, LNG Growth Plan Technology 50-Year Soviet Spacecraft 'Kosmos 482' Crashes into Indian Ocean News 3 Killed in Shooting Attack in Thailand
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As the UAE's first and most experienced stem cell transplant center, ADSCC has received multiple prestigious recognitions and conducted strategic collaborations, solidifying its position as a center of excellence. In 2024, ADSCC received accreditation from the Foundation for the Accreditation of Cellular Therapy (FACT) for its cellular therapy processing laboratory, the first in UAE and one of only two in Middle East to receive this global accreditation.
