Barbara Risser, George M. Ewing Canandaigua Forum / September 28, 2026
CANANDAIGUA, N.Y. — Why is Parkinson’s disease increasing so rapidly? What do we know
about its causes, and what can be done to prevent it, slow its progression and improve life for
those living with the disease?
Photo: Maggie Kuhl, Dr. Ray Dorsey, Dr. Sara Whittingham
The George M. Ewing Canandaigua Forum will explore those questions at 4 p.m. Sunday, Oct.
11 at Fort Hill Performing Arts Center in Canandaigua. “Facing Parkinson’s: New Science, New
Strategies, Real Lives” features neurologist and researcher Dr. Ray Dorsey and physician and
Parkinson’s patient Dr. Sara Ann Whittingham.
The program will be moderated by Maggie Kuhl, head of Patient Engagement at The Michael J.
Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research.
Parkinson’s disease affects more than one million Americans and is one of the world’s fastest-
growing brain diseases. The Forum conversation will examine emerging research into its causes
and prevention, new approaches to treatment and care, and the increasingly important role
patients are playing in shaping research and public policy.
Dorsey, a professor of neurology at the University of Rochester Medical Center, is director of the
Center for the Brain & the Environment at the Atria Research and Global Health Institute. He is
co-author of “Ending Parkinson’s Disease” and “The Parkinson’s Plan,” which proposes a new
approach to preventing and treating the disease. His career has also included leadership positions
at the University of Rochester and Johns Hopkins.
Whittingham brings both medical expertise and lived experience to the conversation. An Air
Force veteran and clinical faculty member at Northeast Ohio Medical University, she is a
physician living with Parkinson’s disease. She serves on the Advisory Council on Parkinson’s
Research, Care, and Services, convened by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services,
helping to guide national priorities for research, care and patient support. She is also the author
of “Oh Crap! It’s Parkinson’s: A Rebel’s Guide.”
Together, Dorsey and Whittingham will offer perspectives from both the laboratory and the lived
experience of Parkinson’s, examining where progress is being made, what challenges remain and
what the future may hold for patients and families.
Maggie Kuhl from the Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research will add an
additional perspective to the conversation as the moderator for the event.
The Ewing Forum is partnering with regional Parkinson’s organizations in support of the
program.
Tickets for “Facing Parkinson’s: New Science, New Strategies, Real Lives” are available through
the George M. Ewing Canandaigua Forum at gmeforum.org. The program is at 4 p.m. Sunday,
Oct.11, at Fort Hill Performing Arts Center in Canandaigua.
About the George M. Ewing Canandaigua Forum
The George M. Ewing Canandaigua Forum engages people in thoughtful, stimulating and
informed discourse on intellectual and cultural topics of regional, national and world interest.
The Forum brings both emerging voices and leading figures in their fields to Canandaigua to
inspire dialogue within the community.
