I enjoy talking to people and love to teach and help with issues that I can help with. At a recent fair at a local university, I would make eye contact and talk to the students to get them to come over and thenwe had a short quiz that we would go over the answers to try and provide some education and awareness on the matter. The kids were great and quite amusingly, they avoided the candy on the corner of my table since it was "A HEALTH FAIR". They were surprised by some of the answers and all thanked me as they left. We laughed and talked and it was a great connection. I will also tell you that there are other vendors that sit there and if they don't reach out, no one stops. Everyone needs a connection to take the time to listen.
I got to do a lunch and learn at a local business and that was fun and personal as I could be right there and talk to those in attendance and we could discuss concerns and issues and I listened to their comments and guided them as best I could. I also got lunch out of it and that was nice too. It is nice to get out of the building and interact with people that have concerns but not immediately dealing with the "C" word. I treasure those times with those patients that are dealing with the imminent problem as well but there is a different gravity to that conversation and supportive role for me.
Reaching out to others is the key, we all need to be recognized and supported from whatever playing field we are coming from. As a professor once told me, "there are no dumb questions." I know that you have heard that all before but I would also venture that at some point in time, you had questions that you were too embarrassed to ask. The only way we can help is if we know and since my mind reading skills are not up to date, stop and take a moment be it at a health fair, a lunch and learn, an education program or by making a call. We can help! Make it a better day! S