In interviews, Garr has said that she first started noticing symptoms while she was in New York filming "Tootsie" around 1982. 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). In November 2005, Garr was honored as the society's Ambassador of the Year. The same year, she revealed her treatment regimen for the disease, which included regular steroid injections to help manage symptoms. "Closer" reported in 2015 that she credited her positive attitude and her family's support for helping her fight the disease.