HITN Broadcasts Documentary on Parkinson's Disease for Hispanic Community on World Parkinson's Day

In observance of World Parkinson's Day, Hispanic Information and Telecommunication Network, Inc. (HITN) will broadcast The Long Road to Hope: Ending Parkinson's Disease, a documentary produced by the University of Rochester Center for Health and Technology (CHeT). The program airs on Saturday, April 11, at 5:00 PM EDT and can be viewed on demand on HITNGo. Based on Parkinson's Foundation estimates of more than 1.1 million people in the United States living with Parkinson's disease and 2023 U.S. Census data showing around 62 million Hispanics nationwide, an estimated 200,000 Hispanics in the U.S. are currently living with Parkinson's disease. This number underscores the importance of continuing to grow Spanish-language resources, culturally responsive outreach, and Hispanic representation in Parkinson's research.

Erika Vogt-Lowell, Vice President of Content at HITN, stated that teaming up with the University of Rochester Center for Health and Technology to air The Long Road to Hope is exactly the kind of work HITN exists to do. The network aims to ensure that Hispanics living with Parkinson's disease in this country have information in their language, with relevant stories and knowledge that reflects their community, and that hope and prevention are real possibilities. This broadcast represents HITN's commitment to being a trusted space with valuable information. The University of Rochester Center for Health and Technology produced The Long Road to Hope based on the book Ending Parkinson's Disease, co-written by Dr. Ray Dorsey, a neurologist and leading advocate for raising awareness and advancing the global effort to prevent and ultimately end Parkinson's disease.

Dr. Ray Dorsey emphasized that the stories in The Long Road to Hope light a way to a world where Parkinson's is increasingly rare, noting that for almost all, Parkinson's is preventable. He declared that two centuries of Parkinson's is enough and called for this generation to bring about the fall of this terrible disease. More information about his work can be found at https://www.endingpd.org and https://www.pdplan.org. The Long Road to Hope: Ending Parkinson's Disease profiles twelve extraordinary individuals navigating life with Parkinson's disease, offering an intimate window into their personal journeys and their shared determination to confront and ultimately end this debilitating illness. The documentary draws on the work of leading researchers, advocates, and patients to make the case that for almost all, Parkinson's is preventable, and that meaningful progress is within reach.

Dr. María De León, a neurologist, movement-disorders specialist, and patient ally, brings a deeply personal perspective to this documentary as she lives with the disease herself. Through her books Parkinson's Diva and Viviendo más allá del Parkinson, and years of commitment to her community, Dr. De León has worked tirelessly to advance meaningful Spanish-language outreach and greater Hispanic representation in Parkinson's research. The broadcast of The Long Road to Hope represents a landmark moment in HITN's mission to deliver meaningful and relevant health content to Hispanic communities across the United States. HITN-TV reaches more than 35 million homes in the United States and Puerto Rico through various providers, and the HITNGO app is available on Apple, Android, Apple TV, and Roku with a subscription. Additional information about HITN can be found at https://www.hitn.org and https://www.hitn.tv.