Conversations on Parkinson's Awareness - Guest Post with Dr. George Ackerman

With April being Parkinson's Awareness Month, we're taking some time to hear from one of the foremost advocates for Parkinson's awareness: Dr. George Ackerman, also known as “Sharon’s Son, George”. Ackerman was his mother’s care partner throughout her years dealing with the condition. He has since devoted the remainder of his life to tirelessly advocating for those living with Parkinson's and their family caregivers.

Introduce yourself and share about your background. How did you come to be a part of the caregiving world?
My mother had Parkinson’s disease (PD) for 15 years, but it never started to affect major life abilities significantly until around 2014. She was still able to function and spend her favorite day of the week, Sundays with us in the backyard, blowing bubbles with her grandkids, eating the best meals we could find for that day while arguing with everyone where to eat or what to eat. As a first-time caregiver I did not know what to expect, how to act or what the best step was next to care for my mother on my caregiving journey.

How would you describe your journey caring for your mom?
My mother played the biggest role and impact on my life in shaping me to become who I am today. My journey of personal and professional growth, would not have been possible without my mother’s unwavering support and influence

I never dreamed I would be a caregiver let alone know what caregiving was until I was thrown into is abruptly. My mother was diagnosed with PD for 15 years, and for 11 years she was able to live independently until the final four years when the disease progressed to a speed I still am in shock today thinking about.

She was a loving, caring, and supportive presence, guiding me not just as a mother but as my mentor and best friend. My mother was a schoolteacher who made the decision to give up her career to prioritize her family. For my brother and I this meant growing up with a mother who was always there laughing with us, guiding us, and supporting us through every step of life. The bond we shared was deep, marked by frequent conversations and time spent together. My mother was the first-person I called with any news, whether joyful or challenging, and her wisdom shaped the way I navigated my academic, professional, and personal life.

What was one of the hardest things in caring for your mom? What was one of the best things in caring for your mom?
It has changed my life for the bad but also the good. For the bad because I lost my best friend and mother… For the good because of individuals like you and the Parkinson’s community who have now become my family throughout the world, together in this fight for a cure for all those battling today, in memory of my mother, Sharon.

The hardest thing was seeing my strong, positive, incredible role model go from what I always knew her as… to the progression of Parkinson’s and take her away from us so quickly.

What are you passionate about? How did your caregiving experience change your outlook on life?
My focus in life today is Parkinson's disease awareness and hope for a cure in my mother, Sharon's memory. My number one focus today is Together for Sharon. I want to shout out to the entire Parkinson's community worldwide. We love you; we support you, and I will never stop advocating for a Parkinson's disease cure until it is at all our doorsteps. My only goal is that no one ever feels alone in their journey. I felt alone as a caregiver, and my mother had never met someone with PD in 15 years.

What resources or support do you wish you had in your caregiving experience that you now point family caregivers to?
I have proud my heart, soul and everything I have 24/7 to awareness because I didn’t have any resources or could not locate them when I was a caregiver. We have partnered with many wonderful organizations to raise awareness and help in research and fundraising to find a cure. I am also grateful for all the partnerships we have made.

Tell us about Together for Sharon and how you are making a difference in people’s lives.
We were in shock when my mother’s PD symptoms progressed quickly.  So, we started TogetherForSharon® in memory of my mother Sharon, a few days after she passed, to voice awareness and hope for a PD cure. We want her to be remembered for her beautiful life and not have her memory lost because of PD. We thought a few people would see the site, but today, fiver years later, over 40,000 people have visited worldwide.

January 1, 2020 was the start of Together for Sharon. My main focus in life today is Parkinson’s disease awareness and hope for a cure in my mother, Sharon Riff Ackerman’s memory. My number one drive is Together for Sharon. I also participate in podcasts, interviews, articles, television, radio, blogs and magazines to ensure my mother’s story is never forgotten.

What's your message to family caregivers?
I am grateful for the opportunity to share my mother’s story. I am just the son of an incredible woman who deserved better and if we had a cure, she would still be with us right now. I have grown and learned a lot about the world of caregiver and advocate today for those battling PD in her memory.

More about Sharon's son, George
Dr. George Ackerman (Sharon’s son) is from Brooklyn, NY. Now residing in Florida, he works in the fields of law, police, and education. George lost his mother, Sharon Riff Ackerman on January 1, 2020 due to Parkinson’s Disease.

George seeks to honor his mother and continue to help in the Parkinson’s awareness cause and did not know how to bring change. TogetherForSharon® was started as a family for the purpose of keeping his mother, Sharon Riff Ackerman’s, memory alive and to share the message of Parkinson’s Awareness and hope for a cure.

Today Together for Sharon reaches thousands of individuals across the country for PD Awareness. George currently interviews individuals throughout the Parkinson’s community including various foundations, caregivers, and Parkinson’s warriors to help share their stories and causes. He's also written and published several books, the titles of which can be viewed below and found on Amazon.