April 30, 2024

Parkinson's Warrior: Turning Pain into Purpose Through Advocacy

53 minutes

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George Ackerman shares his personal caregiving journey caring for his mother, Sharon, who battled Parkinson's disease for 15 years. As a New York native turned Florida resident, George came from a background of success as a lawyer and police officer. However, when his mother's Parkinson's progressed and she needed more support, George stepped up to become her primary caregiver.

He faced many challenges in caring for his mother, from managing her hallucinations and dementia to struggling to find trustworthy in-home caregivers. Throughout it all, George found purpose in advocating for others affected by Parkinson's through the foundation he started called Together for Sharon. Even after losing his mother, George continues fighting to support those diagnosed with Parkinson's, their caregivers, and others who have lost loved ones to the disease. He shares his story openly to raise awareness of the challenges of male caregivers and hopes to be a voice for those who feel unseen in their caregiving journeys.

About George:

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

George wanted to honor his mother and continue to help in the Parkinson’s awareness cause, but he did not know how to bring about change. We started TogetherForSharon® as a family to keep my mother, Sharon Riff Ackerman, ’s memory alive and share the message of Parkinson’s Awareness and hope for a cure.

Today https://www.togetherforsharon.com/ 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.

Connect with George:

Websitehttps://www.togetherforsharon.com/

Email[email protected]

LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/george-ackerman-ph-d-esq-mba-00871a82/

TikTokhttps://www.tiktok.com/@togetherforsharon1

Facebookhttps://www.facebook.com/togetherforsharon112020

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