In case any members or users of the Community weren't totally sure what a Community Champion is, our Champs are a group of dedicated Community members who've volunteered to keep an extra close eye on the site for us. Our Champs welcome new members to the Community, ensure they're comfortable using the site, offer fantastic support and give members a 'nudge' in the right direction on further support when it's needed.
I thought it'd be a nice idea to introduce our Champs to you all through a monthly 'Meet the Champs' Q&A. Here's our Champ Granny59 to kick things off for us...
I have been on the site for a little over 18 months and gave been a Community Champ for 1 year. I was directed to the site by my Breast Care Nurse when I was diagnosed with Breast Cancer and I have never left the site since. I'm best described as a ‘lurker’ – I tend to lurk around and sometimes I can add something and sometimes I can’t but my heart goes out to each and every one. It takes a lot of guts for folks to post and we need to be there to welcome them and make sure they know that they are not alone.
I have too many Community Highlights to limit to just one. I have met the most wonderful people along the way and have made some lasting friendships as well. I feel a strong sense of belonging in the Community and I have learned so much from the people who post on here and from those who answer them. The Maccy team must rate a mention for keeping us all afloat often in challenging times.
The best pieces of advice I ever received and have stuck with me all my life is 1 – “to smile at people” and 2 – “if you can’t say anything nice best not say anything at all”. Both have served me well and originated from my mum.
Best piece of advice I would give is “take a day at a time”, which reminds me of the words of an old song. I'm not telling what it is because then I will give away my age, so I will leave you guessing!!! The other thing I would always say is “you are not alone” we all walk these roads, some take different directions, and some go off the beaten track, but ultimately, we find our way back home, sometimes changed, sometimes the same and sometimes never the same again.
My hero? Well there's a question? I think I would have to plump for Barack Obama. He overcame great adversity and stigma to become President of a great country. He seemed very normal and could laugh at himself and make people smile and laugh. He broke many moulds by being elected and made changes to try to make a society fair for all and handled himself with dignity. Im not every political, so my choice is not based on politics, but rather based on his character as a man and his values many of which I hold dear to me as well.
What would I name my boat? Well first of all you would not get me on a boat. I have a fear of huge expanses of water where I can’t put my feet firmly on the ground! I refer again to an old song by Frank Sinatra called “My Way”, well my boat would be called “No Way”. I remember wellbeing on a paddle boat in a lake many years ago with my family and my husband coming wading in to rescue me and our traumatised children. I think the phrase use at the time was "Never again" and that was my children!!!
