In observance of World Parkinson’s Day, the 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), on Saturday, April 11, at 5:00 PM EDT. The program can also be viewed on demand on HITNGo.
Based on the Parkinson’s Foundation’s estimate 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.
“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. We want to ensure that Hispanics living with Parkinson’s disease in this country have information in their language, with relevant stories and knowledge that reflects our community and that hope — and prevention — are real possibilities. This broadcast is our commitment to being a trusted space with valuable information,” said Erika Vogt-Lowell, Vice President of Content, HITN.
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. “We hope the stories of those in The Long Road to Hope light a way to a world where Parkinson’s is increasingly rare. For almost all, Parkinson’s is preventable. Two centuries of Parkinson’s is enough. Let’s be the generation that brings about the fall of this terrible disease,” said Dr. Ray Dorsey, co-author of Ending Parkinson’s Disease (endingpd.org) and The Parkinson’s Plan (pdplan.org).
The documentary 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, neurologist, movement-disorders specialist, and patient ally, brings a deeply personal perspective to this documentary: 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 is the leading Spanish-language media company that offers educational and cultural programming for the whole family, reaching more than 35 million homes in the United States and Puerto Rico through major providers. For more information, visit HITN.org.
