Thanksgiving Begins With Appreciating You!

By Gail Doby, ASID
CVO & Co-Founder, Gail Doby Coaching & Consulting & Design Success University

As we get ready to “close” our virtual offices for the next few days, I wanted to share what’s on my heart with you.

We’ve had a great year in many ways, and even through the challenges, we’ve experienced many bright spots.

As some of you may know, our team has experienced some huge personal challenges. My Executive Assistant, Tiffany Humpert, has courageously triumphed over her Stage 3 breast Cancer diagnosis. She made it through 16 chemo treatments including the Red Devil, the most difficult drug of all Cancer drugs, a double mastectomy, and she had both ovaries removed. She is hoping to schedule her reconstruction before year-end so she can put 2017 behind her. In addition to this, she lost two grandparents, watched her son Mason graduate from high school and she got engaged to Tom who has been a rock for her. She continued to work through the treatments even while she was getting the chemo infusions.

Our Director of Communications, Yasmine Bijan Wilson, went on leave a few months ago to help her husband Brien after he was diagnosed with Stage 3/4 colorectal Cancer. He just turned 50 and they have a little girl, Elisaa who wants her daddy to feel better and come home soon. Yasmine and Elisaa are, as I write this, at the Cancer Treatment Centers in Phoenix. Brien is scheduled for a major surgery which will be followed by chemo and radiation. His father died of Cancer this year, her father died of Cancer last year, and her mother died in 2014. It’s been a difficult few years for Yasmine. By the way, here is a link to donate if you feel so inclined. I know Yasmine has been a tremendous coach and support for many of you: https://www.gofundme.com/brienbeatingcancer.

We’ve had other instances of Cancer in our family – my husband’s brother (kidney and colon cancer), my husband’s cousin (breast Cancer), another long-time friend had a hysterectomy and both ovaries removed, and is getting ready for colon surgery and more chemo.

We’ve also had other people that are close to us experience losses and personal challenges at a “rock your world” level.

All in all, it’s been an emotionally challenging year. It’s hard to make sense of the pain and suffering. The hurricanes, the fires, the shootings and so many other tragic events. All of the affected people (and many of you) are in our thoughts and prayers for what you’ve endured.

Please know that through all of this, our team and I are committed to our families, friends, you as clients, and our community. We have faith that we will overcome these challenges together and that we are supposed to learn a life lesson that will make us stronger and more compassionate.

Please know we’re here to support you as you go through your life and business challenges. In honor and appreciation of you and your trust in us, we’ve chosen to make direct donations to Tiffany and Yasmine to help them with their medical expenses. That is our gift to you and through you. Thank you for making it possible to take care of our team as they face difficult life challenges.

And on a lighter note…

My husband, Harry, and I will be celebrating a quiet Thanksgiving dinner with a neighbor and a few friends. I will be cooking, and relaxing a bit over the weekend.

Next week, Harry steps into a new phase of his life – retirement! He can’t wait. We’re counting the days so he can do things he loves and see people he loves. We are also looking forward to a week at Newport Beach for the Christmas holidays. If you’re around that area, let us know. We’d love to have you drop by for a glass of wine. We’re renting a house on the beach!

I give thanks for all of the blessings in my life – great friends, a great husband, a great team and great clients that mean so much to me and to our team.

XOXO