In October 2002, Garr publicly confirmed that she was battling
multiple sclerosis.
[17] After years of uncertainty and secrecy surrounding her diagnosis, Garr explained her reasons for deciding to go public: "I'm telling my story for the first time so I can help people. I can help people know they aren't alone and tell them there are reasons to be optimistic because, today, treatment options are available." In interviews, she has commented that she first started noticing symptoms while in New York filming
Tootsie. For the next few years, as acting jobs brought her to various locations around the world, she continued to see different doctors in different cities, until she finally found a doctor who correctly diagnosed her as having MS.
After disclosing her condition, she became a National Ambassador for the
National Multiple Sclerosis Society and National Chair for the Society's Women Against MS program (WAMS).
[18] In November 2005, Garr was honored as the society's Ambassador of the Year. This honor had been given only four times since the society was founded.[
citation needed]
On December 21, 2006, she suffered a ruptured
brain aneurysm in her home. Her 13-year-old daughter called
9-1-1 when she could not wake her mother up.
[19] After therapy to regain her motor skills and speech, she appeared on
Late Show with David Letterman on June 19, 2008, without the need of a wheelchair. She was on the show to promote
Expired, a 2007 film in which she played a set of twins.
However, because of her battle with multiple sclerosis, Garr has had recent trouble finding acting work. She has not acted in films or television since 2007, though she did publicly appear at the 19th Annual Race to Erase MS (multiple sclerosis) event in 2012.
[20] According to journalist
Richard M. Cohen on his blog website
Journey Man, he stated that Garr was living alone with meager support.
[21]
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Teri_Garr
