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CHICAGO — After nearly two weeks of hospitalization, Reverend Jesse Jackson Sr. has been discharged from a downtown medical facility, as confirmed by a statement from his family.
The 84-year-old civil rights leader left Northwestern Memorial Hospital on Monday, with his family noting that he continues to be in stable condition.
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This update follows his transfer from the Intensive Care Unit to a regular hospital room last week.
Jackson’s health journey includes a 2013 diagnosis of Parkinson’s disease, which in April was updated to progressive supranuclear palsy, a more advanced neurological disorder, according to his family.
“We are deeply grateful for the outpouring of love and prayers from friends and supporters,” said Yusef Jackson, his son and family spokesperson. “We have witnessed the power of prayer firsthand and extend our heartfelt thanks to the exceptional medical and security teams at Northwestern Memorial Hospital. We kindly ask for your continued prayers during this significant time.”
Jackson gained national attention in the 1960s as Martin Luther King Jr.’s protégé. Jackson spent more than 60 years advocating for racial equality and economic justice. He ran for U.S. president in 1984 and 1988.
He helped to found the Chicago-based Rainbow PUSH Coalition, an organization dedicated to social justice. He spent nearly three decades leading Rainbow PUSH before stepping down in 2023.
What is PSP?
Dr. Jori Fleisher, a neurologist at Rush University Medical Center, said PSP is also known as “Parkinson’s plus,” or an atypical Parkinson’s condition.
“People have this unusual tendency in PSP to fall backwards,” Dr. Fleisher said. “It’s almost like they are just standing still and they are kind of pushed backwards.”
Dr. Behzad Elahi is a neurologist at UChicago Medicine. He is not working on Rev. Jackson’s case, but described the disease as part of the same family as Parkinson’s, but is more rare and more advanced, and it affects chewing, swallowing and balance. It is a disease where those closest to the patient must keep close watch.
“Less than 10% of those with Parkinsonism with or Parkinson disease will be diagnosed with PSP,” Dr. Elahi said. “The family is everything. Currently, we don’t have a cure for the disease. We have some medication that can help with some symptoms, but we currently don’t have any cure.”
Progressive supranuclear palsy is a rare brain disease that affects walking, balance, eye movements and swallowing, according to the Mayo Clinic.
PSP is also known as Steele-Richardson-Olszewski syndrome.
The cause of PSP isn’t known, according to the Mayo Clinic. Symptoms come from the damage of brain cells.
The only proven risk factor for progressive supranuclear palsy is age, according to the Mayo Clinic.
The video in the player above is from a previous report.