After embarking on a feature length documentary about the first man to go to space with Parkinsons disease, “The Astronaut’s Secret”, we became very passionate about Parkinson’s awareness.
In collaboration with Houston Area Parkinson’s Society, a local support group helping people live and function with Parkinson’s, Cut To Create has woven together a tapestry of those affected by the disease with the goal of putting a face on Parkinson’s.
Included in the film are Jim and Debby Hurlbert (Debby has PD and Jim is her caregiver), Kathy Smith (has PD and is a research advocate with The Parkinson’s Disease Foundation) Ray Wilson (has PD and was the first African American to earn a PhD from UT), Guillermo and Lupina Reyes (Guillermo has PD and they have been married for over 52 years) Marilyn Mease (has PD but continues to paint), Doug Benzouly and Cindy Sather (Doug has PD and they are big fundraisers for research), Dorothy Wong (has PD was a Psychologist and is now a Photographer) Kathleen Crist LMSW (Social worker and Director at a Parkinson’s Support Group) and Dotti Visosky (has PD but continues to sing and laugh)
Humanize patients who suffer from Parkinson’s, provide hope, and inspire other patients to seek help from the community.
HAPS identified a group of individuals with varied experiences who have found ways to overcome or work through their diagnosis, and we interviewed them regarding their life before Parkinson’s, how they learned of their diagnosis, and how they are coping.
2 versions of the video were produced (3 min and 11 min) that have been used to raise awareness and participation in HAPS programs.
CLIENT TESTIMONIAL
“Zach has extraordinary talent and an uncanny ability to capture the essence of those he films, unvarnished and in their humaness, as their narratives unfold. Thank you again for everything! You and your team were so much fun to work with. I don’t think we could have asked for a better experience.”
