Elephants and Tea - September 2021 - 1

LETTER FROM THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR Conversation
Living Life Despite
the New Normal
H
NICK GIALLOURAKIS,
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR,
STEVEN G. CANCER FOUNDATION
ow many times have you heard the term " the new normal " ? How does
that term make you feel? Angry, indifferent, happy, sad or nothing at
all? As someone who hasn't lived with cancer personally, I have found
that term to be a bit overused over the past 18 months as we all navigate
the waters of a global pandemic. It has become a common phrase, as if
we should all just accept it.
In talking with some close friends and family that have or had cancer, when they
hear the phrase " the new normal " it triggers all sorts of emotions - mostly negative
ones, but some positive. One friend said to me, " This is life. Things change, we
adapt and continue to figure out how to live. There is no normal, it is just living. "
I never thought of it that way, but it is so true. Everyone has new challenges and
unexpected twists and turns that pop up, and while some are harder than others,
we all are just trying to live life. Then again, I don't have to tell this community that
cancer is one hell of a " twist and turn. "
This year has been filled with twists and turns (understatement, right?). The one
thing that continues to be very apparent to me is that this community of cancer
patients and survivors knows how to deal with unexpected challenges and thrive.
I know for some it may be hard to see the " thriving " that is going on, but, trust
me, you all are doing it in your own way. The writers in this magazine issue are no
exception.
This past year so many of you adapted and found ways to live life virtually. You
connected with fellow patients, survivors and caregivers across the globe in ways
no one saw coming. You found strangers that you now will call lifelong friends,
new jobs that you never knew existed for you before, found new skills and hobbies
in the form of cooking, reading, writing, podcasting, building robots, reconnecting
with childhood dreams of just being who you are regardless of what the next day
brings. You said to hell with " normal " I'm going to be me and do what's best for
ME! You didn't settle and you never should.
Letting go and living life isn't easy. It comes with a bit of a leap of faith and
trying something new. Never let someone tell you what your " new normal " is going
to be or try to hold you back because my guess is they wish they were living their
life a bit more too. l
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Elephants and Tea - September 2021

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