Michael J. Fox hope special to air in May

NEW YORK, April 22 (UPI) -- Actor, activist and author Michael J. Fox will star in a new U.S. television special called "Adventures of an Incurable Optimist," ABC said Wednesday.

The one-hour program is set to air May 7 on the network.

Fox, who has been suffering from Parkinson's disease for more than a decade, starred in the TV sit-coms "Spin City" and "Family Ties," as well as the "Back to the Future" movie franchise.

He makes an emotional return to television to investigate the nature of optimism, talking to both famous and everyday people around the globe, ABC said in a release.

"The same joyous spark that Michael J. Fox shared with us during his acting career shines through in this compelling look at the transformational power of optimism," ABC's Victoria Dummer said in a statement.

"For everything this disease has taken, something with greater value has been given," Fox added. "So, sure, it may be one step forward and two steps back, but after a time with Parkinson's, I've learned that what is important is making that one step count."