On World Parkinson’s Day 2025, PRGoeroes collaborated with Boston Scientific and Radboudumc to raise awareness of Parkinson’s disease and its treatment with Deep Brain Stimulation, with Ernst Daniël Smid as the face of the campaign.
On April 11, 2025, during World Parkinson’s Day, PRGoeroes collaborated with Boston Scientific and Radboudumc to raise global awareness of Parkinson’s disease and its treatment with Deep Brain Stimulation (DBS). This was reinforced by Ernst Daniël Smid, who shared his personal story during a special meeting in Nijmegen as part of the European campaign “Heroes Like You.”
The challenge: how do you raise awareness of Deep Brain Stimulation?
The challenge was to make the complex treatment of Deep Brain Stimulation (DBS) accessible to a wide audience without coming across as too technical or distant. The goal was not only to inform, but also to inspire and create more understanding for Parkinson’s disease and DBS.
Our approach: sharing experiences and creating experiences
We opted for a combination of personal stories and experiences. Visitors could use a simulator to experience what it feels like to have Parkinson’s disease. In addition, Ernst Daniël Smid shared his personal story about how DBS improved his quality of life. The media were invited to report on the event, with interviews and photos taken on site.
The results: successful media coverage
The PR campaign was a success and led to:
- 22 online publications with a publicity value of €34,500
- Reach of 771,500 people, excluding social media, offline media, and publications behind paywalls.
- Important publications in trade media such as ICT Health (Dutch and English) and Bouwen aan de Zorg.
- International media also picked up on the story, including Archynewsy and Computable Belgium.
- Consumer media like Het Consumentenbelang and a full-page interview in Vijftig+ Magazine provided additional visibility to the general public.
- Tech media like Computable focused on the innovative technology behind DBS.
Ernst Daniel Smid in conversation with De Telegraaf during World Parkinson’s Day.
A first for our agency, which focuses on business service providers: a three-page story in Privé magazine!
Conclusion: strengthening brand and social impact
By combining personal stories and experiences, Boston Scientific not only became visible as an innovative player in the medical sector, but also drew attention to the social importance of DBS treatments.
About Boston Scientific
Boston Scientific is a global company founded in 1979 in the United States that focuses on developing medical technologies that improve patients’ health and quality of life. They are known for their innovative approaches, such as Deep Brain Stimulation (DBS), an advanced treatment for Parkinson’s disease. The company operates worldwide, with offices in many countries, including the Netherlands, and is a pioneer in the field of minimally invasive techniques—treatments that are less invasive than traditional surgery.
More information: Boston Scientific
