
Here Comes Everyone by The Conference Bard
Originally called "Uncanceled & Unplugged" this podcast was conceived at the outset of the Covid crisis in North America. Being a conference designer I knew a lot of people who had expected to be speaking at events in the subsequent months having them canceled or postponed. So I launched the podcast to provide them with an alternative platform.In August, several months into the pandemic, it was clear that most event organizers had shifted to virtual events and no one was getting canceled anymore.So the podcast has now become "Here Comes Everyone". The name reflects the huge variety of guests we've had in the last few months and the intention to focus a bit more on issues of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging.
Here Comes Everyone by The Conference Bard
Grief, Gratitude, Grace: Episode Two - Discussing her cancer journey with Jennifer Hollington
Grief is not just about when you lose a loved one. We experience grief whenever we face loss, something many have experienced during the pandemic - whether this be loss of job, status, financial security, routine, human connection, or loss of health.
In this episode we explore grief as an aspect of living with a serious health diagnosis with Jennifer Hollington as our guide. Many people came to know Jennifer as I did through her daily blog that she began immediately after being diagnosed with ovarian cancer. In it she records the day to day experience of living with cancer, her treatments, her thoughts about her changing world.
Jennifer's ability to face the reality of her situation head on and communicate her emotional, professional and health journey has been an inspiration to many and it was a privilege to have her join Sarah and I as she shared her thoughts on issues such as:
The initial shock of diagnosis and her response
The role of community in providing support
How gratitude helped her overcome adversity
Needing to focus on the here and now - as a friend said to her early on "don't die while you are yet alive"
Anticipatory grief
Grief at the loss of work and health
How sometimes it comes down to Grit - finding an inner strength to move forward when things get really tough
For more info on my work as a conference emcee, spoken word artist, panel moderator and event designer check out my site at https://conferencebard.ca/