“You are more resilient than you think you are,” someone told me recently. I was feeling overwhelmed and defeated. Like many of you, the experiences of the pandemic exposed me to exhaustion and burnout—not just for me, but for my entire family.
I’ve encountered a need for resiliency a few times during my life. The most prominent experience was during my recovery from lymphoma, which required aggressive chemotherapy. I learned to create and embrace a support network of friends and family to make it through. Now, I need to bounce back again from the stressors of the past year. Resilience is a hard-earned trait. But once mastered, you might find yourself stronger than you were before.
This issue of the newsletter is dedicated to stories of resiliency. In our Former Fellow Follow-Up column, Dr. Jason Riley describes the many obstacles and failures he worked through to bring his patented technology to market. From each failure, he learned his strengths and moved forward toward his goal.
We also received several stories of resiliency from current fellows and investigators. I encourage you to check out their experiences. We are not alone in our hardships, and yes, there is a light at the end of the tunnel. There are many sources of support as we continue to build resilience. You’ll find several in this month’s Clinical Corner column, the Rep Report, and April’s announcements and events.
Vaccines are on the way. Schools are reopening. Some restrictions are lifting. There is hope that life will soon be bustling again.
Your Editor in Chief,
Shana R. Spindler, PhD
Please send questions or comments to our editor at shana.spindler@nih.gov.