A thought for the new year

[pkguk2]

We would like to use the start of a new year — a time for reflection — to express our deepest gratitude to all of you, our members, administrators, and volunteers for your participation in this community.

We live in a time when cynicism is easy to summon, when we can readily think of what is wrong, what destabilises, and what drives us apart. We can tap into deep reservoirs of justifiable anxiety. We can wonder and worry about an uncertain future. This is a time of year to enjoy some trust in each other, with a generous spirit.

In times of great challenge, throughout history, humans have found strength, comfort, and courage in the power of community. We are social creatures.

The hope in creating this forum was to forge a community to engage around CLL topics. We wanted a supportive, informative, and respectful discourse. Your participation has exceeded our hopes. We owe sincere thanks to those who worked tirelessly to create this forum, and those who now keep it running.

We will have cause to reflect more in the new year. There will be occasions, undoubtedly, for us to gather around pain and joy, worry and relief, tears, and reasons to smile. We are strengthened by the knowledge that whatever comes, we have this forum to share our thoughts, plan our actions, and reflect on what has been accomplished, and all that remains to be done.

Thank you all. May those who are hurting find comfort. It is okay not to be okay. More than anything, that is the message that this helpful community can provide.

We wish you harmony, peace, and good health in 2024.

On behalf of CLL Support.

[mrsjsmith]

Thank you for such inspiring words. I think I will need to read several times to get my head back into a better place.

Kind regards and Happy New Year.

Colette

[Shrink]

Happy New Year to all.

Lovely Post. Thank you

[scarletnoir]

Good thoughts - the administrators and volunteers do a superb job on this site. It is an exceptionally well run and supportive facility (not always the case even in health-based forums).

Thanks to all of you, and a Happy New Year!

[Ghounds]

Beautiful words, thank you. In the spirit of honesty you've encouraged I'm going to be brave and say that I'm not ok. As always many thanks for the tireless work of our admin and volunteers who are so quick to weed out anything which would go against the standards of our community.

[Stamphappy in reply to Ghounds]

Ghounds, deep down, none of us are ok...CLL thoughts are always there. Sometimes louder. Sometimes just churning in the background. We're all here together though and so very willing to listen. Share your thoughts and we will do our best to help you through. Sending germ-free hugs.

[Stamphappy]

Love your post! So touching and well said. I couldn't be more grateful for everyone on HU! God bless you all.

[Thundercat2]

Many, many thanks to all who have provided this safe forum for us and for managing and monitoring it to keep it that way. Your post really said it all. May our higher power, however we define it, bring peace and healing to all.

[Lilsa]

Thank you pkguk2. Yes, about once a month I think ‘ what a bummer, I have CLL’ yet every day when I go onto this forum I think ‘how lucky am I to have such support’

[Pin57]

Well said!

[dmmck]

Your post brought tears to my eyes. So touching! Thank you for your beautiful words.

[Palmetto]

Thanks to everyone here especially AussieNeil and Sofia for the invaluable knowledge imparted on this forum. My husband probably would not be here today without all the advice about treatment options available and the education I have garnered as a wife of someone with CLL. He has been diagnosed since 2015 and only several months over the years did he have to have treatment and for the most part of those years he was able to go 2 years at the time before needing treatment again. There have been so many breakthroughs in treatment and my wish for the New Year is that even more treatments become available and this disease can be beat down forever. I had my own bout with a different kind of cancer a year and a half ago so I understand the uncertainty of the future. Best of health this year.

[Muddywater]

Thank you for your wonderful inspiring words. Almost one year in to my treatment (Acalabrutinib) I have gained so much knowledge and strength from all the advice and contributions within these posts. Happy New Year.

[Walkingtall62]

A few years after being diagnosed with CLL I was encouraged by another (different) cancer sufferer to find a support group on line. I found you! This site is clearly, for me, and I am sure for many others, quite a life saver. Knowledge is imparted and shared. We are put at ease. Where else could we find this. But it couldn’t happen unless the administrators of the site put in hours and hours of their own time to support us all. Please, administrators and partners, know how much you are appreciated. Not forgetting of course our many peer to peer advisers. You are life savers to many I am sure. I for sure don’t know where I would be without you all. Maybe an increased dose of citalopram 🤫🤨. Thank you, thank you, thank you

[Paulhonda]

A positive mindset is one of the best assets in dealing with CLL. For me, I am not too much into ‘reflecting’ - I much prefer to look to the future and give thanks to the new generation of treatments that are going to see me live to an old age😀.

[Peggy4]

A lovely post. The help and support from this forum is immeasurable.

I’ve said many many times over the years (and will again) it’s a club I had no wish to join but feel all the richer for doing so.

Peggy

[Deilginis]

Thank you, most sincerely. I believe this forum actually did save my life on one occasion and has been constantly helpful and encouraging. 🌷

[Fran57]

Thank you!

Fran 🥰

[Haileybury]

Thank you very much and Happy New Year to you.

Haileybury

[Teddo]

Thank you so much for your words and thoughts so eloquently stated. I read your bio. Your contributions and those of your beloved wife to the CLL community should not go unrecognized. You are among the champions of this forum. You love and devotion to your wife, and she to you, is touching and admirable.

[Analeese]

I do would like to say thank you so much for such an uplifting start to the new year. I also have to give so much credit to all of the people who participate in these post. I find Health unlocked to be a place I can trust, a place I can feel safe, I was diagnosed just a few months after my husband passed away from leukemia, and at the time there was very little information out there for the type he had. So to find this safe place where I could trust the information that I received was just an amazing experience and still is , Thank you all.

[MGirl-Aust]

I wholeheartedly agree! I remember well the weeks after my diagnosis, and the time I was preparing for treatment, how helpful it was to receive support and find information from members here. Thank you to all, and especially to the administrators and volunteers who dedicate so much time to supporting the community. Wishing everyone a happy new year.