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Parent to
Parent of New York State
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This page last updated on
February 20, 2008
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Regional Coordinator Hello, my name is Sharon Marrella and I wanted to share a little about myself. I am the mother of two boys, Cullen and Burke, and I am married to Phil. Even one of our cats is male, so I can feel outnumbered at home at times. The upside of this situation is I realize how important it is to reach out and connect with others who understand your unique situation—a personal strength I bring to my position at Parent to Parent of NYS. I have been the Regional Coordinator in the Southern Tier since the fall of 2005. Since that time, my life has changed with the addition of Burke, who came early and has some special health care needs. My association with Parent to Parent of NYS began in the spring of 2002 when I turned to another parent for support shortly after my older son was diagnosed. I was asked to become a support parent and then encouraged to join the staff by two colleagues. A chance encounter with our Executive Director, Jan Fitzgerald, over breakfast at a Partners in Policymaking session led me to believe this was where I was supposed to be right now. I believe that my firsthand knowledge of Parent to Parent—from requesting a support parent to my present position—enables me to recall how it feels to reach out when you need support. Helping a family connect in some way, whether it be through support, education, advocacy or providing information, is an important component of my job. I still remember how overwhelmed and alone I felt when I reached out for support. To be able to be that person for another family is one of the very best things I do here at the office. I am a staunch supporter of our parent matching program for very biased reasons—I know how empowering it is personally. It is even more vital when you live in a rural or isolated area and do not have much in the way of support. Some days, it felt like talking to my support parent was the lifeline that kept my head above the preverbal water. I am also proud to be assisting families of children with special health care needs with an orientation to our Health Care Notebook. Through personal experience, I know how daunting a task it is to keep all those records, appointments, medicines and all straight. Anytime you can help a parent through that stressful job is a good thing. I had a friend comment on my position when I tried to sum it up by saying, “Wow, you make a parent feel like they are connected.” In my own small way I really hope to do that to the best of my ability for each parent who reaches out looking for that support.
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Copyright 2008 Parent to Parent of New York State. All Rights Reserved. Janice Fitzgerald -
Executive Director Parent to Parent of NYS - Statewide Office This website is hosted by |
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