In this episode of the Hear Here Parkinson’s Podcast, hosts Edgar Valdmanis, WPC 2026 Parkinson Ambassador, and Elizabeth “Eli” Pollard, WPC Executive Director, welcome researcher Natasha Fothergill-Misbah, PhD, who also serves on the WPC 2026 Creativity Committee. Natasha was a producer of the award-winning short documentary Shaking Hands with the Devil, which shines a light on Parkinson’s stigma and the barriers to medication access in Africa. The conversation explores the making of the film, its global impact, and the urgent need to address inequities in Parkinson’s care worldwide. 

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.

John Cryan, Professor & Chair of the Department of Anatomy & Neuroscience at University College Cork, Principal Investigator at APC Microbiome Ireland, and bestselling author, joins WPC 2026 Ambassador Tony Wilkinson (Ireland) for a bonus episode of the Hear, Here Parkinson Podcast. Prof. Cryan discusses his research at UCC, the link between microbiome science and Parkinson’s, and his appearance in the Netflix documentary Hack Your Health. Enjoy this special bonus episode from Ireland.

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. 

Leslie Chambers, President & CEO, APDA, WPC Double Platinum Champion partner joins this episode of the Hear, Here Parkinson's Podcast with host, WPC Executive Director, Eli Pollard. 

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.

On this episode of the Hear, Here Parkinson's Podcast, Richelle Flanagan, Founder of My Moves Matter, a Registered Dietitian from Ireland and WPC 2023 Ambassador joins host WPC Executive Director, Eli Pollard, for a candid conversation on Richelle's Parkinson diagnosis, living with YOPD, Pregnancy and Parkinson's, Women's Parkinson's Project and advocacy work and the transformative experience she had 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. 

In this episode, hosts Edgar Valdmanis, WPC 2026 Parkinson Ambassador, and Eli Pollard, WPC Executive Director, engage in a conversation with WPC 2026 Ambassador Jagdeep Ajula (UK) and WPC Awardee Kabugo Hannington (Uganda).

Hannington received the Robin A. Elliott Award for Outstanding Community Service at the 6th World Parkinson Congress for his exceptional efforts in raising awareness about Parkinson’s disease and fostering community in Uganda.

Jagdeep shares how transformative WPC 2023 was for him and the valuable connections he made during the event.

He also discusses his journey to Uganda, where he met Hannington, and how they work together to enhance the quality of life for Ugandans with Parkinson's disease through exercise and boxing.

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.