HITN Marks World Parkinson's Day with Special Broadcast

The Long Road to Hope: Ending Parkinson's Disease documentary airs on HITN to bring awareness to Hispanic communities

Apr. 11, 2026 at 5:00pm

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A minimalist neon outline of a human brain glowing against a dark background, conceptually representing the neurological impacts of Parkinson's disease.The broadcast of "The Long Road to Hope" documentary aims to shed light on the personal journeys of those living with Parkinson's disease and the path towards prevention and treatment.Brooklyn Today

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), on Saturday, April 11, at 5:00 PM EDT. The program can also be viewed on demand on HITNGo. The documentary profiles twelve individuals living with Parkinson's disease and features the work of leading researchers, advocates, and patients to make the case that Parkinson's is largely preventable.

Why it matters

With an estimated 200,000 Hispanics in the U.S. currently living with Parkinson's disease, this broadcast represents an important effort to provide Spanish-language resources and culturally responsive outreach to the Hispanic community. The documentary also aims to increase Hispanic representation in Parkinson's research.

The details

The Long Road to Hope was produced by the University of Rochester Center for Health and Technology, 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. The documentary features Dr. María De León, a neurologist, movement-disorders specialist, and patient ally who lives with Parkinson's disease herself.

  • The documentary will air on HITN on Saturday, April 11, 2026 at 5:00 PM EDT.
  • The program can also be viewed on demand on HITNGo.

The players

HITN

The leading Spanish-language public media network in the United States.

University of Rochester Center for Health and Technology (CHeT)

The center that produced The Long Road to Hope: Ending Parkinson's Disease documentary.

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. María De León

A neurologist, movement-disorders specialist, and patient ally who lives with Parkinson's disease herself.

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What they’re saying

“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.”

— Erika Vogt-Lowell, Vice President of Content, HITN

“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.”

— Dr. Ray Dorsey, Co-author of Ending Parkinson's Disease and The Parkinson's Plan

The takeaway

This broadcast represents an important effort by HITN to provide Spanish-language resources and culturally responsive outreach to the Hispanic community, which is disproportionately affected by Parkinson's disease. By sharing the stories and perspectives of those living with Parkinson's, the documentary aims to increase awareness, promote prevention, and ultimately work towards ending this debilitating illness.