2022 Fall/Winter Highlights of Hope

PHILANTHROPY
Running for family and
Parkinson’s research
Dedication, prayer and meditation are the
key elements fueling Joy Kim’s grueling
training efforts. In November, Kim and
her sisters will run from Staten Island
to Central Park during the TCS New York
City Marathon, an event that may be as
emotionally rewarding as it is physically
challenging: They’ll be participating to
honor the memory of loved ones lost to
Parkinson’s and cancer.
Kim’s mother-in-law, Min Ja, had Parkinson’s
disease and passed away in 2021. It
was a difficult time, and it elevated the
importance of biomedical research in the
eyes of the Kim family.
“My father-in-law lovingly took care of
Min Ja for six years, and we experienced
how terrible Parkinson’s can be in the
terminal stages. There is so much pain and
suffering, not only for the affected person,
but for friends, family and caretakers,”
Kim said.
That suffering was top of mind after Min
Ja’s death. The family looked to make a
generational impact and raised funds
for Parkinson’s research. Kim wanted
those donations to have a local effect and
recommended Van Andel Institute — she
knew of VAI’s work through Grand Rapids
connections and later saw the value
of her support firsthand during a tour of
the Institute.
“VAI’s impact on Grand Rapids is wonderful,”
Kim said. “You see it in the first-rate facility,
the excellent researchers and the driven
individuals who work there — they are
actively pursuing the mission to help those
who face Parkinson’s and cancer.”
Following her family‘s donation in Min
Ja’s memory, Kim remained interested in
supporting the Institute. She learned of
the VAI Marathon Team and saw it as the
perfect opportunity to run a world-famous
event while raising money for research.
She’ll be joined by her sisters, who are
running in honor of their father who
died from kidney cancer. It’s an uplifting
challenge, Kim said: whether she trains
for one or 10 miles a day, it does not
get easier, but knowing that her family is
involved elevates her commitment. And
when the training gets really challenging,
Min Ja always provides inspiration.
“She was a beautiful woman, wife, mother,
grandmother and friend,“ Kim said.
“The United States gave so many good
opportunities to her, and she always had
a desire to give back. I hope our support
of research can extend the positive
impact Min Ja had in our lives to future
generations.”
24 | VAN ANDEL INSTITUTE HIGHLIGHTS OF HOPE