Hey everyone, I hope you are all doing well. I’ve been lying here with my computer on my lap for about 15 minutes, looking at but through the screen wondering what I will write about. For the first time in my memory I have the feeling or “want” to write, but haven’t any trace of clear thought regarding what I want to write about.
Time between messages seems to be significant, which is natural I feel. I still do get ideas and thoughts all the time that I want to share with you all, but my daily routine doesn’t have quite the same amount of free time as during the core of my series. Thus many of those thoughts don’t make it to you all in an e-mail.
I have just come from the second annual RealTime Cancer golf tournament, a part of which involved me talking to the golfers about RealTime Cancer, where we have come, and where we are going. This is some of what I said, and some of the things I didn’t.
Our last 12 months have been an incredible learning experience. My cancer challenge is one of my greatest teachers I have ever known, and I can say with confidence that establishing and growing RealTime Cancer has allowed me to continue that learning curve. Growing this organization from my initial desire to share my experience to educate others has been as rewarding as it has been challenging. In the past 8 months we have grown significantly and are now more focused than ever on sharing and education. We have made a very positive impact on the environments in which we play, and we are leveraging that impact to bring our positive attitude message to new schools in new communities across the province for the 2001-02 school year. To this point I have secured commitment from 11 high schools in 6 communities for the 2001 Challenge, and I’m sure that our new partnerships will be equally exciting and amazing as our existing partnerships with Prince of Wales Collegiate, Booth and O’Donel.
On a personal note I can tell you that I have the best position in the world, if you could imagine having the most fulfilling job in the world, multiply that by a couple of thousand and that will give you an idea of how I feel about RealTime Cancer. The opportunity to interact and connect with young minds everyday has been quite an exceptional gift. The give and take with students from all three schools has been awesome to be a part of. The most incredible part of the whole experience is knowing that your efforts were able to make a positive impact. That feedback comes from various sources, inside and out, and I can say that in my 25-plus years I have never had an experience like the one that makes an impact on another.
My chosen direction allows me to make that impact on thousands of lives so far, and those numbers will only grow. And for my money there’s nothing greater.
I always like to end my speeches with some final thoughts and tonight I used a new one relating to the turtle, since the turtle would never get anywhere if it didn’t stick his neck out. And I explained that I have no trouble sticking my neck out, but that effort would not have near the impact were it not for the super-support of my family, friends and many others.
The option to write and express myself to an exceptional group of people consistently over the past 30-plus months, has been another great gift of mine. Your eyes and ears have been, and continue to be an important part of my life, we are bonded in this virtual world and I want to thank you for listening and reading.
I’ve got some big plans for RealTime Cancer, and they come with big challenges. Over the next little while I’ll be developing and growing my ideas, at which point I promise to share with you all. As we grow and extend our sphere of influence I will need more and more support and I hope I can count on some of you for that support.
Since launching RealTime Cancer the past 12 months have been pretty awesome… and the best part is this is only the beginning. Stay tuned, as some of my best is yet to come.
Have a great day and you’ll hear from me again soon.
Always…
Live Life. Love Life.
Geoff
