Civil rights leader the Rev. Jesse Jackson (C) appears during the Democratic National Convention at the United Center in Chicago on August 19, 2024. On Wednesday, he was hospitalized for a rare neurological condition. File Photo by Matt Marton/UPI | License Photo
The Rev. Jesse Jackson has been hospitalized in Chicago for a neurodegenerative condition, the civil rights organization he founded, the Rainbow PUSH Coalition announced.
The non-profit said Jackson, 84, was admitted to the hospital Wednesday to be observed for his condition, progressive supranuclear palsy.
The statement said he had been managing the condition for more than a decade, though it was initially diagnosed as Parkinson’s disease. In April, doctors confirmed he was actually dealing with PSP.
No further details about his condition were revealed.
“The family appreciates all prayers at this time,” the Rainbow Push Coalition said Wednesday.
Jackson revealed his Parkinson’s diagnosis in November 2017, telling his supporters he found it “increasingly difficult to perform routine tasks” and to get around in his daily life.
PSP is a rare neurological condition that gets worse over time and for which there is no cure. It often mimics Parkinson’s disease, particularly early on, and is often misdiagnosed, the Cleveland Clinic says.
There are four types of PSP with various symptoms, among them: troubles with walking and balance; abnormal speech; memory and cognitive problems; difficulty with eye movement; and tremor.
The Cleveland Clinic says about 1 in 100,000 people get diagnosed with PSP each year, and 1 in 20,000 people have the disease.
In 2023, U.S. Rep. Jennifer Wexton, D-Va., announced she wouldn’t seek re-election after she was diagnosed with PSP.
