Kimberley Kearsey

While greeting members at our communications booth at the annual general meeting (AGM) in April, I met several people who wanted to share their personal stories. Their raw emotions ranged from excitement at upcoming travel plans to help vulnerable people on another continent, to sadness and frustration around issues of suicide and workplace injury.

It’s not easy to open up your personal life to people you don’t know, and I’m truly moved and appreciative of those who do it. In most cases, it’s to raise awareness of an issue that needs attention. And real-life stories are the best way to get that attention.
During the keynote presentation on the last day of our AGM, Louise White stepped up to the mic and told a room of 300+ people about her family’s experience with addiction. It’s hard to imagine the courage that takes. And she continues to share her story in this issue (page 12) and through speaking engagements and online forums in hopes it will help other families dealing with the same harsh reality that addiction does not discriminate.

Sue Faber is another member who has let down her walls and offered up the very personal story of her family’s struggle with Lyme disease. She was at the AGM to present a resolution that she hopes will not only raise awareness but also lead to earlier diagnosis and better treatment of the disease. She told me that when she started to talk to colleagues at the AGM about how her experience led to the resolution, she got hugs and thanks from people who didn’t realize the extent of the problem. Her interactions, she said, made her realize her vulnerability was worth offering up.  

These personal anecdotes are vital to the stories we tell in this magazine. We need real people with real experiences to help us personalize bigger issues. Each first-hand account helps others realize that some of the most complex health and health-care issues come down to real people and real lives. There’s no better way to impact policy and decision-making than by bringing these stories forward. 

Thank you to all who are willing to open up to help others. Your generosity has not gone unnoticed.