Michael J. Fox, Muhammad Ali lend drama to Parkinson's hearing

Michael J. Fox testifies, urging that researchers be protected from being demonized or criminalized.

(CNN) -- Actor Michael J. Fox of "Spin City" TV-show fame and boxing champion Muhammad Ali appeared at a Congressional hearing Wednesday morning to appeal for more money to support research into Parkinson's disease, a malady that afflicts both celebrities.

The hearing included requests for mitigated restrictions on stem cell research and testimony about how the disease stiffens the body, eventually disabling it, while leaving the mind intact.

The Senate Subcommittee on Labor, Health, Human Services and Education convened the hearing.

Joan Samuelson, founder and president of the Parkinson's Action Network testified about the necessity of hope for Parkinson's sufferers. Additional funding would diminish victims' despair.

Muhammad Ali's wife Lonnie Ali spoke for her husband: "This tragic underfunding may lead to missed opportunities for better treatment or even for a cure."

"We have a disease for which we can't hope that we are going to outlive the odds, that we're going to beat the odds, because there aren't any odds to beat," Samuelson said. "There isn't such a thing a remission, there isn't such a thing of a combination of chemo and radiation that causes us to be labeled as a survivor and be able to march in parades with that label."

Fox addressed the debate involving stem cell research, which involves converting unspecialized cells from embryos into specific, desired cells. (More on stem cell research)

"It's important to make clear that the debate is not about promoting one type of research over others," Fox said. "It's about protecting researchers from being demonized or criminalized so they can go about their work exploring new opportunities to treat illness and disease. Development of such promising new therapies puts us on the threshold of a new era in medicine."

He also implored the National Institutes for Health to act responsibly with the means it has.

Joan Samuelson, founder and president of the Parkinson's Action Network, testifies.

"Seeing the possibility only increases our impatience and sets a frustration of what is not getting done, " Fox said. "NIH has the resources and the infrastructure needed to do much more. To meet the opportunity, I encourage the new NIH director to immediately fill the open ... position and to do so with the community using all the available tools."

Lonnie Ali, the wife of Muhammad Ali, spoke on behalf of her husband of 16 years, saying that the need for more research dollars is urgent.

"Time is of essence," Ali said. "People with Parkinson's don't have any time to waste. This tragic underfunding may lead to missed opportunities to better treatment or even for a cure."