Eric Dane's Brave Battle With ALS: 10 Photos Show His Journey From Hollywood Star to Health Struggle

Eric Dane may have been a doctor on TV, but he became a real-life health advocate after being diagnosed with ALS.

The 'Grey's Anatomy' alum told People he has been diagnosed with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, commonly known as ALS.

Talking about his health condition, the 52-year-old actor shared, 'I am grateful to have my loving family by my side as we navigate this next chapter.'

ALS Advocate

The actor travelled to Washington, DC on Monday, 29 September, as part of the delegation of the I AM ALS organisation.

Together with officers and staff members of the non-profit group, Dane met with US Rep. Frank Pallone (New Jersey) to advocate the reauthorization of the ACT for ALS bill.

'ALS is the last thing they want to diagnose anybody with,' Dane said in front of the Democrat member as seen from the TikTok video shared by US Rep. Eric Swalwell (California). 'So often, it takes all this time for these people to be diagnosed, well, then it precludes them from being a part of these clinical trials.'

'I have two daughters at home. I want to see them, you know, graduate college, and get married and maybe have grandkids. You know, I want to be there for all that. So I'm going to fight to the last breath on this one,' the actor added.

Dane is married to actress Rebecca Gayheart, and they have two daughters aged 15 and 13.

He also said that he will return to acting despite his condition.

'I feel fortunate that I am able to continue working and am looking forward to returning to set of Euphoria next week,' he stated. 'I kindly ask that you give my family and I privacy during this time.'

What is ALS?

Falling under the Motor Neurone Disease (MND), ALS is a type of degenerative illness that results in progressive muscle paralysis.

ALS patients usually experience muscle twitching or weakness in a limb during the earliest stage of the disease, followed by slurred speech.

The NHS also listed stiff or weak hands, spasms, twitches or muscle cramps and weakness in the legs and feet as common ALS symptoms. The health organisation also mentioned that patients may have difficulty swallowing, speaking or breathing, have heightened mood swings, difficulty moving or walking and could produce an unusual amount of saliva.

There is no known cure for ALS at the moment, but treatments can help ease symptoms and provide a better quality of life for the patient.

Check out 10 photos of Dane's advocacy for ALS patients below.

How Dane's Family Copes Up with ALS

Gayheart opened up about the challenges brought by her husband's condition for her and their daughters.

'We're just trying to have some hope and do it with dignity, grace and love,' Gayheart told People. 'I mean, it's heartbreaking. My girls are really suffering, and we're just trying to get through it. It's a tough time.'

She also admitted that their family is taking each challenge 'day by day' and is currently working with therapists to deal with the situation.