Rachel Reid, the author of Heated Rivalry, now a Crave TV sensation, has shared hopeful news regarding her Parkinson’s diagnosis. The MM hockey romance, which follows the passionate, high-heat love story of NHL rivals Ilya Rozanov and Shane Hollander, remains one of Reid’s best-known works, and its success is now helping to make her current course of treatment possible.

For those familiar with Parkinson’s disease, the seriousness of Reid’s diagnosis is well understood. PD is a complex neurological condition that disrupts the brain’s ability to control movement and other essential functions. It develops when dopamine-producing brain cells gradually die or become impaired.

Because dopamine plays a critical role in movement, mood, motivation, and other bodily systems, its loss can lead to a wide range of symptoms. Parkinson’s affects millions of people worldwide, with the Parkinson’s Foundation estimating that more than 10 million people are currently living with PD.

Rachel Reid Gives Hopeful Update About Parkinson’s Diagnosis

In an interview with Variety published on December 30, 2025, the Canadian author shared that a Parkinson’s specialist reached out to her after learning of her diagnosis during a publicity interview for the series. As a result, Reid is now in contact with a Parkinson’s expert and neurologist, and has also secured herself an appointment after she had previously been placed on a five-year waiting list.

Reid has this to say about her diagnosis in the interview:

It’s making it hard to write because I can barely control a mouse. I can’t type for very long. It’s hard for me to sit in a chair for very long. I need to figure out new ways to write. I don’t know if that will be voice to text. I don’t know if I can write that way. It doesn’t feel natural, but I need to figure out something because it is taking me a very long time to write now. But an amazing thing that’s come out of this though is Jacob was on CNN a few weeks ago.

She went on to explain:

For whatever reason, the interviewer asked him about my Parkinson’s diagnosis. I thought it was kind of odd, but then the next day, one of the top Parkinson’s experts in the world reached out to me and asked if he could help me. I’ve never gotten to talk to a Parkinson’s expert. I’ve been on a five-year waiting list here because I live in a very small place. Now he’s found me a Parkinson’s expert, a neurologist, and I have an appointment in a couple weeks. That could change things for me because I’m not really getting the treatment that I should be getting. He also told me how to change my medication so I can sleep because I never slept. That change made me sleep through the night, which really helps with writing.

The Importance of PD Awareness

Key Resources for Learning About and Supporting Parkinson’s Disease Treatment

The news that Rachel Reid is now on the path to receiving treatment and potentially managing her symptoms to improve her quality of life is deeply uplifting. That this opportunity arose only after the monumental success of Heated Rivalry underscores the importance of openly discussing Parkinson’s disease and raising awareness about its impact.

For those wishing to learn more or support people with Parkinson’s, key resources include the Parkinson’s Foundation, offering education, support services, downloadable guides, and a global care network; the Michael J. Fox Foundation, focused on research, clinical trials, and guidance for patients and caregivers; and the American Parkinson Disease Association, providing support groups, exercise programs, events, and resources for early-onset PD patients and caregivers.