On September 15, 2026, people living with Parkinson’s disease, families and caregivers gathered at the Jim Pattison Outpatient Care and Surgery Centre for an evening of learning, conversation and connection.
Hosted by Surrey Hospitals Foundation and Fraser Health’s Neurology Care Team, Navigating Parkinson’s Together brought the community together with movement disorders neurologists Dr. Jason Chan and Dr. Claire Hinnell for an interactive fireside chat and Q&A.
The conversation reflected one of the realities of Parkinson’s disease: no two people experience it in exactly the same way.
Dr. Chan and Dr. Hinnell spoke about how symptoms, progression and responses to treatment can vary significantly from person to person, making individualized care an important part of supporting people living with Parkinson’s.
Throughout the evening, guests had the opportunity to ask questions, share experiences and hear directly from the specialists providing Parkinson’s and movement disorder care in our region.
LOOKING BEYOND MEDICATION
One message came through particularly clearly: caring for someone with Parkinson’s extends beyond medication.
The discussion explored the role that physical activity, mental wellbeing and other supports can play throughout a person’s Parkinson’s journey. Guests also heard about the importance of multidisciplinary care, with physiotherapy, occupational therapy, speech-language pathology and other allied health services helping people manage the ways Parkinson’s can affect everyday life.
That coordinated approach recognizes the complexity of Parkinson’s and the importance of looking at the whole person, not just individual symptoms.
For patients, it can also mean having a team that continues to adapt as their needs change over time.
BUILDING THE FUTURE OF PARKINSON’S CARE
The conversation also looked ahead to what Parkinson’s care could become as the need for specialized services continues to grow across our region.
At the Movement Disorders Program at the Jim Pattison Outpatient Care and Surgery Centre, that future is already taking shape. Patients have access to an integrated team that includes movement disorders neurologists, nursing, physiotherapy, occupational therapy, speech-language pathology, pharmacy and social work, bringing different areas of expertise together around each patient.
It is a model built around the reality that Parkinson’s care changes over time. As nurse clinician Robby has shared in a previous interview, supporting patients means building relationships and providing continuity as they move through different stages of their Parkinson’s journey.
For patients and families, that coordinated approach can make a meaningful difference. Cindy and Paul’s journey with Parkinson’s offers one example of what specialized care close to home can mean, not only for the person living with Parkinson’s, but for the caregiver walking alongside them.
During Navigating Parkinson’s Together, Dr. Chan spoke about the importance of continuing to strengthen access to specialized neurology and allied health services so more people can receive the support they need.
“It’s going to take all of us working together to do that.”
That idea was at the heart of the evening. Building the future of Parkinson’s care is not only about new treatments. It is also about creating a connected system of specialized care, therapies, resources and support that can grow alongside patients and families throughout their journey.
SUPPORTING CHRONIC DISEASE CARE CLOSE TO HOME
Chronic diseases are complex, lifelong conditions that require specialized treatment, ongoing therapy and coordinated support to help patients manage their health and improve quality of life.
Parkinson’s disease reflects many of these same needs. As the condition changes over time, patients may require ongoing neurological care, medication management, rehabilitation, allied health services and other supports tailored to their individual needs.
Through our Chronic Disease & Therapy Pillar of Care, Surrey Hospitals Foundation helps strengthen the care available for people living with complex, lifelong conditions across Surrey and the South Fraser region.
Events like Navigating Parkinson’s Together are another way to bring patients, families, caregivers and health care teams together, creating space to learn, ask questions, share experiences and better understand the care and resources available close to home.
CONTINUING THE CONVERSATION
Surrey Hospitals Foundation is grateful to Dr. Chan, Dr. Hinnell and Fraser Health’s Neurology Care Team, and to everyone who joined us for Navigating Parkinson’s Together.
The evening demonstrated the value of bringing people together beyond the traditional clinical setting. As Dr. Chan reflected during the discussion, opportunities like this allow care teams to share their knowledge more broadly and provide guidance to patients and families about what may lie ahead.
By continuing to bring patients, families, care teams and community together, we can strengthen the connections and the specialized support that help people navigate Parkinson’s disease throughout their journey.
MEET THE SPEAKERS
Dr. Jason Chan, Movement Disorders Neurologist
Dr. Jason Chan is a movement disorders neurologist at the Jim Pattison Outpatient Care and Surgery Centre and a clinical collaborator with Simon Fraser University’s ImageTech Lab core facility, embedded at Surrey Memorial Hospital.
He completed his medical and PhD training at Western University, followed by neurology residency at the University of Calgary and a Parkinson’s Foundation Institutional Movement Disorders Fellowship at the University of Florida.
His clinical work includes the assessment and management of Parkinson’s disease and other movement disorders, while his research uses approaches including functional neuroimaging, electrophysiology and neuromodulation to better understand movement and cognition and advance future care.
Dr Claire Hinnell, Neurologist
Dr. Claire Hinnell is a clinical neurologist with Fraser Health and a Clinical Assistant Professor at the University of British Columbia. She received her medical degree from UBC in 2006 and completed her neurology residency at the University of Calgary in 2012.
Dr. Hinnell also completed specialized movement disorders fellowships at King’s College Hospital in London, U.K., and at UBC.
