An interview with Grether Ackerman, Sharon’s daughter in law & my wife on June 10, 2023 by George Ackerman, Ph.D, J.D.
Biography
Grether Ackerman works in the Criminal Justice field, with a focus on research and development. She continues to study Criminal Justice at Florida International University. Her research is focused on theory and data.
Grether is a wife and mother of 3 beautiful children, Brooke, Joshua, and Eli. She enjoys being active and is currently training for the Miami half-marathon in January of 2024 to raise awareness for Parkinson’s Disease.
Please tell me a little about your background and what got you involved with awareness.
I am a mom of three and married to you! Sharon was my beloved mother-in-law and a good friend.
I remember the first time I met Sharon. After we dated for a few weeks, it was meeting mom time and I was super nervous because I wanted to make a good impression. You said only good things about Sharon including she was your best friend. We knew a lot about each other before our first meeting, but I was still nervous. I remember going into the Chinese restaurant and you introduced me to Sharon. She was smiling and we were all excited to get to know each other. That was the beginning of a beautiful friendship between her and I.
I have secondhand experience with Parkinson’s through Sharon. I saw up close a lot of what Sharon went through. She never really talked about Parkinson’s much. Around 2017 Sharon started feeling worse daily. That is when her symptoms started to show more and needed to rely more on our help for tasks around her home. Most of which she always did on her own until then. She stopped going to plays and restaurants, which she loved to do because she was having more difficulty with. One major area was using her left arm. We started eating more at home and always spent tons of time together.
Even at the point she needed a full-time caretaker, we all still tried to keep Sundays together, watching the kids play outside together. She always remembered to bring bubbles or a coloring book to all her grandkids every single weekend no matter how she felt. We were there for her every step of the way to support and reassure her that things would get better and that she was not alone. However, the journey was just as much of a mystery to her, as it was to us.
I will always treasure those Sundays we all spent together. It was a foundation piece to our family unit.
How did you get involved in Parkinson’s awareness and hope for a cure?
I got involved with awareness to find answers for Sharon and a community going through the same thing our family had been going through due to PD.
What effect can a caretaker have with an individual with Parkinson’s?
Caretakers have a huge impact because they are the individual’s primary ally. The person they can vent to and be honest with even more than doctors. Caretakers became their whole world. Hopefully everyone is lucky to have someone to lean on during the good or bad times and it is a journey, and you need someone to support you and give some strength to help them through.
What would you like to see as a future goal for awareness?
To find a cure. Parkinson’s is something everyone should be aware of including younger people. With research and new findings awareness is huge. Individuals can detect certain symptoms or potential causes earlier and it can impact how it is treated. Knowledge and awareness are power. It is monumental and very necessary. Not enough people are aware yet. The more people understanding the disease will in turn bring more individuals working towards a cure, raising others for awareness, and benefiting all individuals diagnosed with Parkinson’s.
What events do you participate in?
I continue to support “moving day” for the Parkinson’s Foundation, during COVID we did the virtual walk. We also participated in the American Parkinson’s Disease Association “Optimism” walks. See https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9cXsLLiuwdg&t=1s
I have done Pushups for Parkinson’s and I plan on running a half marathon in 2024 through the Parkinson’s’ Foundation in memory of Sharon. We also have raised and donated around $15,000 to help programs and funding for a cure.
And of course, supporting https://www.togetherforsharon.com/ which the family started in memory of Sharon.
If you had one final statement or quote you could leave for the Parkinson community, what would it be?
I would say stay connected to the people that love you, who want to support you and others who are going through similar situations. It is important for our emotional and mental well-being and vital. You should never go through something alone. People want to be there to support you. Seek out connections and there are people out there that want to show love and support for you.
How can someone get in touch? What is your website?
togetherforsharon@gmail.com or https://www.togetherforsharon.com/about-us/