Hear, Here, Parkinson’s! Podcast

On this episode of the Hear, Here Parkinson's Podcast, we welcome Naomi Casiro, Registered Physiotherapist, Certified PWR! Therapist, and founder of NeuroFit BC. Naomi joins us to share her expertise in neurological rehabilitation and her evolving approach to improving care for people living with Parkinson’s. A key focus of the conversation is falls—one of the most complex and impactful challenges in Parkinson’s care. Naomi offers a preview of her upcoming Special Workshop at the World Parkinson Congress, “Failing to Fall: What We Are Missing in Falls Treatment and How It Can Change Your Practice for the Better.” This session will highlight the practical application of falls-related data and introduce a more comprehensive, two-pronged approach to treatment. Attendees will have the opportunity to observe and practice early falls training strategies, and learn how to incorporate functional movement and falls training into their own clinical programs. Listen in for a thoughtful and forward-looking discussion that challenges traditional approaches and empowers practitioners to rethink how they support people with Parkinson’s.

On this episode of the Hear Here Parkinson’s Podcast, host and WPC Executive Director Eli Pollard speaks with George Ackerman, PhD, JD — author, advocate, lawyer, and law enforcement professional. George shares his journey as a caregiver for his mother with Parkinson’s and how that experience inspired his advocacy within the Parkinson’s community. He also discusses his work connecting Parkinson’s awareness with law enforcement to help create safer spaces for people living with Parkinson’s, as well as his books on Parkinson’s and their inclusion in the Book Nook at the World Parkinson Congress.

On this episode of the Hear, Here Parkinson’s Podcast, Linda Olson, MD, and WPC Board Member, joins hosts Eli Pollard, WPC Executive Director, and Edgar Valdmanis, WPC 2026 Parkinson Ambassador, for a candid and inspiring conversation. Dr. Olson shares her extraordinary journey of living with Parkinson’s as a triple amputee, her path to becoming a radiologist, and the resilience and hope that guide her advocacy and commitment to living each day to the fullest while making a lasting impact in the Parkinson’s community.

WPC Music Director Judi Spencer and musician Tomas Gisby—both members of the WPC 2026 Music and Creativity Committee—join Hear, Here Parkinson’s Podcast host and WPC Executive Director Eli Pollard for an engaging conversation about the role of music at the World Parkinson Congress. They share personal reflections from attending multiple Congresses and explore how music and creativity help connect and inspire the global Parkinson’s community.

Dr. Mayela Rodriguez Violante from Mexico who is on the WPC 2026 Program Committee joins the Hear, Here Parkinson's Podcast with WPC Executive Director, Eli Pollard, and guest host, WPC 2026 Parkinson Ambassador Laura Olmos.

In this episode of the Hear, Here Parkinson’s Podcast, WPC 2026 Science Ambassador Elena Berti joins hosts Edgar Valdmanis and Eli Pollard to discuss her experience as a caregiver for her father with Parkinson’s, her work as a clinical psychologist, her ongoing PhD studies in neuroscience at Tor Vergata University in Rome, and her research and insights from attending the World Parkinson Congress.

Professor Sarkis Mazmanian joins the Hear, Here Parkinson's Podcast with hosts WPC Executive Director, Eli Pollard, and guest host, WPC 2026 Science Ambassador Dr. Roberta Marongiu. Professor Sarkis Mazmanian is an American medical microbiologist who has served as a professor at the California Institute of Technology since 2006. He is currently the Luis & Nelly Soux Professor of Microbiology in the Division of Biology and Biological Engineering. Professor Mazmanian will be speaking at a Pre-Congress Course on Advances in Research, Science and Treatment at WPC 2026 focusing on Gut and Immunity in Parkinson's disease: What we know so far from animal models. He'll also be hosting a Roundtable. Can gut-mediated therapeu- tics dampen the neuroinflammatory response in pre-clinical animal models? On this episode he speaks about his research and shares his past experiences attending The World Parkinson Congress.

On this episode of the Hear, Here! Parkinson's Podcast, former WPC President Dr. Jon Stoessl joins hosts Eli Pollard, the WPC Executive Director, and guest co-host Julia Obergasteiger, a WPC 2026 Science Ambassador. Together, they engage in an insightful discussion about his contributions to the Parkinson's community and his experiences at the World Parkinson Congresses, including his time as WPC President. Dr. A. Jon Stoessl is Professor and immediate past Head (2009-2023) of Neurology at the University of British Columbia (UBC). He was previously Director of the Pacific Parkinson’s Research Centre and Parkinson’s Foundation Centre of Excellence (2001-2014). He was Co-Director (2014-2019), then Director (2019) of UBC’s Djavad Mowafaghian Centre for Brain Health. He previously held a Tier 1 Canada Research Chair in Parkinson’s Disease. He is Editor-in-Chief of Movement Disorders, has served on numerous other editorial boards including Lancet Neurology and Annals of Neurology, previously chaired the Scientific Advisory Boards of Parkinson’s Canada and the Parkinson’s Foundation, is Past-President of the World Parkinson Coalition. He was Chair of the Local Organizing Committee and Co-Chair of the Congress Scientific Program Committee for the 2017 MDS Vancouver Congress. Dr. Stoessl uses positron emission tomography to study chemical changes in the brain with the objective of gaining a better understanding of the causes and complications of Parkinson’s disease (PD) and its treatment, as well as how PD can be used as a model to better understand dopamine functions in the brain. He has published more than 300 papers and book chapters, and has been cited more than 31,000 times in the scientific literature with an h-index of 79 (Google Scholar). Professor Stoessl is a Member of the Order of Canada and was recognized by the Queen Elizabeth Jubilee Medal. He is a Fellow of the Canadian Academy of Health Sciences.

Dr. Ray Dorsey is the David M. Levy, Professor of Neurology at the University of Rochester and joins the Hear, Here Parkinson's Podcast to discuss how he is working to identify and eliminate the root causes of Parkinson's disease. He is a co-author of Ending Parkinson's Disease - A Prescription for Action (2020) and co-author of the new book The Parkinson's Plan: A New Path to Prevention and Treatment (2025).

Professor Tilo Kunath from the University of Edinburgh and a former presenter at the World Parkinson Congress, appears on the Hear, Here Parkinson's Podcast. He shares insights on stem cell research and reflects on the significant impact that the World Parkinson Congresses have had, both for him personally and for the Edinburgh research community and beyond.

Professor Per Borghammer, MD, PhD, DMSc joins the podcast this week with host WPC 2026 Parkinson Ambassador Edgar Valdmanis. Dr. Per Borghammer presented at the 5th and 6th World Parkinson Congresses. He is currently a senior consultant and Professor in the Department of Nuclear Medicine & PET at Aarhus University Hospital in Denmark.

In this episode of the Hear, Here Parkinson's Podcast, hosts WPC 2026 Ambassador Edgar Valdmanis and WPC Executive Director Eli Pollard take some time to speak with the WPC Alumni Ambassadors and founding members of the cycling to WPC group, Pedal to Phoenix. They speak with Alison Anderson (UK), Rune Vethe (Norway) and Geoff Constable (Australia).