HFMA Annual Conference and Awards
Just your regular Friday night hanging out with Eddie the Eagle! ????
I had the honour of giving the closing keynote at the HFMA Annual Conference and awards event in Durham this weekend.
Incredible people ensuring our life saving NHS is forever improving and changing people’s lives.
I love events like this as it gives me an opportunity to say thank you to the NHS for all they have and continue to do for me.
Awesome to also share speaking duties with this amazing guy! Inspiring tales of perseverance, determination and kindness. Love it!
I may just add ‘competing at the Olympics’ to my list now!;)
X
THE TIME FOR CHANGE IS NOW
I recently had the honour of guest speaking at the The Avon Valley School & Performing Arts College annual awards ceremony in Rugby. What a truly amazing School this is. I’ve given talks at quite a few schools now and I think it is wonderful that they provide a platform like this to help both inspire and also raise awareness of topics such as mental health and overcoming adversity.
Although my time with cancer was challenging it was my experience with mental health that led me to change the way I lived my life.
This change came in the form of changing my diet, leaving an unhealthy job, doing more of the things I wanted to do and learning more about how the mind and body work.
I wanted to worry less and live a happier and more fulfilling life.
I’ve met many people over the years who have made similar changes to their life and who have also been through some kind of trauma in their life.
It often takes a traumatic event to give us a kick up the backside to get out there and do the things we’ve always wanted to. Sadly for some, that traumatic event may be too late to make the changes they wanted to.
I aimed my closing message to the students but I think this is a message for us all – no matter what age you are.
‘Please don’t wait for tragedy or illness to prompt you to live the life you want to live. Believe in yourself and get out there and make your dreams and lists happen. They won’t happen by themselves.
If you are enthusiastic and passionate about something it is amazing how much you can achieve and how many people you can inspire along the way’.
Thanks so much for having me Avon Valley – I can’t wait to see what you all get up to in the future.
X
You can find out more about the awards ceremony and Avon Valley School here – http://news.warwickshire.gov.uk/…/warwickshire-school-news…/
Photo credit – Avon Valley School
