Emerging as Strong

Below is my monthly message for the December 2020 edition of the MHRI newsletter, Focus. You can view Focus online at MedStarResearch.org/FOCUS.

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Dear Friends and Colleagues,

How will you emerge from the pandemic? Will the quarantine, social distancing, and stress make you a chunk, a hunk, a monk, or a drunk? I was amused when I first saw this meme circulating and how it has become such a popular joke. However, like most jokes, what makes it funny is how closely it can touch us in real life.  

While we can all assess our own girth (‘chunk’) and brawn (‘hunk’), as an organization I was delighted to see ‘strong’ emerge as the most popular word when MHRI associates were asked “How are you feeling today?” at the start of our recent town hall. 

You may recall that at the beginning of each MHRI Town Hall, I ask everyone how they are feeling. Using an audience response system, we build a word cloud in real-time. In March, the most common feeling was ‘anxious’ while in April ‘hopeful’ and ‘overwhelmed’ were tied for the lead. By May, MHRI was very ‘busy’ with a lot of new COVID studies, happening in tandem with a host of other research. By July, people were getting ‘exhausted’ but remained ‘optimistic’. However, now, the predominant word was ‘strong’.  

Strong. That says it all so well in one simple word. MHRI is going to emerge as an organizational ‘hunk’ after this pandemic because it is made up of remarkably strong, talented, dedicated individuals, that come to work each day to make a difference – to advance the health of our community through research.  

I am grateful to be part of such an extraordinary team, to have the privilege of helping to create new knowledge and advance health, and to do it in a place that prides itself on how we treat people. 

Stay safe, wear your mask. And Happy Holidays!

Neil

Read Focus online at MedStarResearch.org/FOCUS.