One Student’s Journey Learning About Parkinson’s Disease

by Zora Fiset Morin

Ann Sullivan is a 52-year-old woman who has started taking classes at 4C’s this fall. Sullivan is currently taking two classes, biology and organic chemistry, but is thinking of taking three classes this upcoming spring. Sullivan said that going back to school after all those years, “happened all kind of fast.”

Sullivan previously graduated from the Rhode Island School of Design with a bachelor’s degree in Industrial Design. She then went on to work for a company doing product design and retired for 22 years but resigned due to Parkinson’s disease.

“Some of the things I had to do for product design were hard to do with my illness.” 

Sullivan said that she hated being retired and that while she filled her time with enjoyable activities, she wanted to do something else other than being retired.

She did not think that going back to school was a possibility up until Covid started and more online classes started to become available. When she was younger, Sullivan was diagnosed with dyslexia and never really thought that school was an option for her.

“If you put more effort into something, you can improve.” said Sullivan.

She is taking pre-med classes to do more research and learn more about her illness.

“It’s kind of hard being a patient with a chronic illness and being in that vulnerable seat of not knowing.”

Sullivan said it was very empowering learning about herself and what was going on.

She mentioned a story where she told her son “why not go to med school?” in order to cure her disease. That’s when she realized that it was not too late for her to do it herself.

“I’m not that old, maybe I can do it.”

Sullivan mentioned having inspired a couple of her friends to go back to school as well; to her knowing that she helped other people is the best part.

She said that going to school with younger people does not bother her and that in general her classmates have been really nice to her.

“It makes you feel younger, I don't feel fifty-two.” said Sullivan.

She said that to always be learning keeps you young.

She recommends to anyone who feels they might have not done their best in school in the past to “why not go back and try.”

“I love it so much that I’m fighting to stay, it’s important to my well-being.” said Sullivan.

Ann Sullivan (Ann Sullivan)

Categories: Featured, Student Life