{"id":145509,"date":"2025-10-09T21:50:53","date_gmt":"2025-10-10T01:50:53","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.thevalleyledger.com\/?p=145509"},"modified":"2025-10-09T21:50:53","modified_gmt":"2025-10-10T01:50:53","slug":"parkinsons-advocate-and-world-renowned-award-winning-advanced-emt-eric-aquino-turns-his-diagnosis-into-a-dystopian-thriller-with-project-dopa","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.thevalleyledger.com\/?p=145509","title":{"rendered":"Parkinson\u2019s Advocate and World Renowned, Award Winning, Advanced EMT Eric Aquino Turns His Diagnosis into a Dystopian Thriller with Project Dopa"},"content":{"rendered":"

Photo Caption: Available now at GrayStrong.org, Amazon, and Barnes & Noble, Project Dopa marks a new chapter in Aquino\u2019s mission to help individuals #MoveForwardWithParkinsons. The novel builds on years of community advocacy through the Gray Strong Foundation, which provides medical resources, exercise programs, and emotional support for Parkinson\u2019s patients and their families.<\/em><\/p>\n

\u00a0New Novel from Gray Strong Foundation Founder Blends Fiction, Science, and Hope to Reimagine What It Means to Live with Parkinson\u2019s\u00a0<\/i><\/strong><\/p>\n

EASTON, Pa., <\/strong>\u00a0\u2013 When EMT and Parkinson\u2019s advocate Eric Aquino was diagnosed with Parkinson\u2019s at 40, he never imagined his journey would inspire a dystopian thriller. Yet with the release of his debut novel,\u00a0Project Dopa<\/em>, Aquino channels his experience on the front lines of both emergency medicine and chronic illness into a story that redefines resilience.<\/p>\n

Set in a near-future New York ravaged by a global outbreak,\u00a0Project Dopa<\/em>\u00a0follows Alex, an EMT whose Parkinson\u2019s-like condition becomes both a curse and a key to humanity\u2019s survival. As Alex discovers his strange immunity to the virus devastating humanity, he embarks on a journey that blurs the line between illness and empowerment. Through this gripping narrative, Aquino blends the pulse of a medical thriller with the heart of a survivor\u2019s memoir.<\/p>\n

\u201cProject Dopa<\/em>\u00a0is a mirror,\u201d said Aquino. \u201cIt reflects the unseen battles so many of us face every day with Parkinson\u2019s.\u00a0 Dopamine may be depleted, but hope doesn\u2019t have to be. Purpose and power can grow even in darkness.\u201d<\/p>\n

A first-generation American and founder of the Gray Strong Foundation, Aquino has become one of the nation\u2019s most visible voices for early-onset Parkinson\u2019s awareness. Recently honored alongside Viola Davis at the HollyRod Foundation\u2019s Design Care event and recognized by the City of Bethlehem for expanding Parkinson\u2019s resources across the Lehigh Valley, Aquino continues his mission through the Gray Strong Foundation, which connects families with medical resources, exercise programs, and emotional support while promoting the movement to #MoveForwardWithParkinsons.<\/p>\n

Through his podcast, @TremblingEMT, and outreach initiatives such as\u00a0Coloring Outside the Symptoms, a<\/em>\u00a0therapeutic coloring book series, and the bilingual Hispanic Parkinson\u2019s health pamphlet,\u00a0Parkinson Positivos: Juntos en el camino de vivir bien con Parkinson<\/em>, Aquino continues to break stigmas and create resources for underrepresented communities.\u00a0 Eric has been named the EMT Educator for the 6th World Parkinson Congress, taking place in Phoenix, Arizona, in May 2026. He is also a proud ambassador for the Michael J. Fox Foundation.<\/p>\n

\u201cProject Dopa<\/em>\u00a0is more than a thriller,\u201d said Polly Dawkins, Executive Director of the Davis Phinney Foundation, who wrote the book\u2019s foreword. \u201cEric Aquino takes us on a journey that is as imaginative as it is deeply personal. On the surface, it\u2019s a gripping thriller about pandemics and survival. But look closer, and you\u2019ll find a story about resilience, connection, and living with Parkinson\u2019s.\u201d<\/p>\n

Project Dopa<\/em>\u00a0is available for purchase at:<\/p>\n

\u00b7\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 GrayStrong.org<\/p>\n

\u00b7\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Amazon:\u00a0https:\/\/www.amazon.com\/Project-Dopa-Eric-Aquino\/dp\/B0FPZTGMJ9<\/a><\/p>\n

\u00b7\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Barnes & Noble:\u00a0https:\/\/www.barnesandnoble.com\/w\/project-dopa-eric-aquino\/1148217265<\/a><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

About Eric Aquino<\/strong><\/p>\n

Eric Aquino is a first-generation American and Lehigh Valley-based EMT whose journey with early-onset Parkinson\u2019s has inspired advocacy, education, and creativity. Founder of the Gray Strong Foundation and ambassador for the Michael J. Fox Foundation, Aquino has been recognized by the HollyRod Foundation, the City of Bethlehem, and major Parkinson\u2019s organizations including PMD Alliance, Davis Phinney Foundation, and APDA. His mission is to help people #MoveForwardWithParkinsons through resources, storytelling, and community connection.<\/p>\n

About Gray Strong Foundation<\/strong><\/p>\n

Gray Strong Foundation helps individuals #MoveForwardWithParkinsons by providing medical and program resource support for Parkinson\u2019s patients and their families. Founded by local EMT and Parkinson\u2019s advocate Eric Aquino, the foundation raises awareness and funding through educational events, community partnerships, and its digital platform @TremblingEMT. Visit GrayStrong.org for more information.<\/p>\n

About Parkinson\u2019s Disease<\/strong><\/p>\n

Affecting an estimated one million Americans and ten million worldwide, Parkinson\u2019s disease is the second-most common neurodegenerative disorder after Alzheimer\u2019s. It is associated with a progressive loss of motor control, as well as non-motor symptoms such as depression, anxiety, and fatigue. While there is currently no cure, ongoing research and advocacy continue to improve quality of life and expand treatment options. Visit Parkinson.org for more information.<\/p>\n

Information provided to TVL by:
\n–ts Brand Elevation<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Photo Caption: Available now at GrayStrong.org, Amazon, and Barnes & Noble, Project Dopa marks a new chapter in Aquino\u2019s mission to help individuals #MoveForwardWithParkinsons. The novel builds on years of … Continue reading Parkinson\u2019s Advocate and World Renowned, Award Winning, Advanced EMT Eric Aquino Turns His Diagnosis into a Dystopian Thriller with Project Dopa<\/span> →<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":145510,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[69,482],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-145509","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-in-the-valley","category-press-release-2"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"acf":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/www.thevalleyledger.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/dope.jpg","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.thevalleyledger.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/145509"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.thevalleyledger.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.thevalleyledger.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.thevalleyledger.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.thevalleyledger.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=145509"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.thevalleyledger.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/145509\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.thevalleyledger.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/145510"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.thevalleyledger.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=145509"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.thevalleyledger.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=145509"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.thevalleyledger.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=145509"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}