Marty Acevedo, MS, RD, served as Director of Food and Nutrition, Environmental Services, and Patient Transportation at Tri City Medical Center in Oceanside, CA.   She is a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist (RDN) and was an active member of the critical care health care team at TCMC, providing advice and recommendations for patients’ nutritional care as they recovered from injury and illness. 

Marty was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease in 2010 after first receiving a diagnosis of essential tremor in 2004.  She now realizes that her PD symptoms began in 2002 or earlier.  Upon her medical retirement in 2015, she found new purpose in her life and began her second  “career” as a volunteer/mentor/advocate.  She serves as President of the Board of Directors for Parkinson’s Association of San Diego, as an Ambassador (formerly Aware in Care Ambassador) for Parkinson’s Foundation, and is an active ambassador, advocate and mentor for several other PD related organizations.  Provision of support, information, appropriate referrals and gentle guidance, along with an ability to fully listen, has become her passion as she strives to help others find their way to living their best lives with Parkinson’s.

She and her husband have resumed their travels, hoping to visit all 50 states and as many national parks as possible  (43 states and 29 national parks thus far).  She enjoys cooking, gardening, and reading and has grown to enjoy her daily exercise program.  She is a passionate sports fan, especially related to University of Tennessee (her alma mater) and San Diego State University athletics.  Marty believes in living her best life with Parkinson’s by finding purpose, staying positive, exercising, socializing, and practicing mindfulness.