Though LinkedIn is in no way Facebook and we should respect the line between the professional and personal, sometimes there is overlap which can't be avoided and nor should it be.
Being diagnosed with cancer, Non-Hodgkin's lymphoma in my case, affects every aspect of your life and hits on every level including our jobs. I was lucky enough to work for my father who was the owner of Real Estate Forum magazine at the time, so my journey was somewhat eased by the fact that I would have a place to go back to when finished with the surgeries, chemotherapy and radiation treatments. However, it was still something I kept hidden in the shadows as I was in the midst of building a professional life to carry on with.
And there are many of us survivors that still find it extremely difficult to discuss with our peers due to the worry of being judged as something other than a person that took a bit of a detour for a brief period of time. Though I may not be giving enough credit to those who were nothing but completely supportive and loving in this struggle, there were also those that were not and had judgements that one need not recall.
Although there is not a support group I'm aware of in the real estate industry for those going through the ordeal at the moment or those who have survived, please know that I'm here to talk about it with you. Its a promise I made a QUARTER OF A CENTURY ago that if I get through it, I'll always be available to those who are traveling or have traveled this path.
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