6 minute read
LEADERSHIP
Romaine Seguin
is president of UPS Global Freight Forwarding, where she oversees air, ocean and rail freight forwarding, as well as brokerage and supplier management, for the 220 countries and territories UPS serves around the world. She can be reached at rseguin@ups.com.
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— Romaine Seguin
Leadership
FROM SHOCK TO SUPPORT: DEALING WITH A LIFE CRISIS
It was April 23 and I was excited to get my second vaccination against COVID-19. I’d had to wait awhile until my age group became qualified to get vaccinated in Naples, Florida, and it was important for me to follow the process. I’d chosen to get my shots at the local fire station, and I was glad I did.
I took my UPS ID with me because I wanted a picture taken so I could be an advocate for the vaccine. That’s what I told the firefighter who was preparing to give me my shot, and he was happy to take the photo. It’s a very small world: He told me he used to work for UPS before becoming a firefighter.
I received my vaccination and was officially in the club. I was also given a sticker saying #TonyStrong. Tony Christensen was a firefighter of 22 years who lost his life to COVID-19 in August 2020. The mission of everyone at the Naples Fire Department was to administer as many vaccines as they could in honor of their friend and colleague. They had found a way to turn their sadness into something that would help others.
Back to April 23. I received my second jab at 10:30 a.m. and felt great all day. But that evening, I received a call from my brother-in-law Chris, who said my youngest sister, Robin, had learned she had a lump in her breast and two more cancerous spots, one on her neck and the other on her spine. I was the first one he told, and I called my other sisters and brother a bit later. Robin and Chris shared the news with my mom in person the next day. These were calls and visits you don’t ever want to receive and certainly don’t ever want to make.
Unfortunately, we are all likely to go through extremely
tough situations involving our loved ones. As leaders, we need to understand what our employees and peers may be going through when they are struggling. How do you transition from shock to support? Here are some ways my family is handling the situation that could be helpful to others.
Reach out for assistance. Point one is to ask, ask and ask again for help and support. My family reached out to all resources in the greater St. Louis area, where my mother and siblings live. Within 72 hours, Robin was registered in the prestigious Alvin J. Siteman Cancer Center and had an appointment with a renowned oncologist. We also have a former Siteman nurse on speed-dial as part of our support system. The Siteman Center is part of Barnes-Jewish Hospital and the Washington University School of Medicine and is one of 30 members of the National Comprehensive Cancer Network.
Be patient. This is by far the toughest part. We all want answers in a New York minute. There are many tests, one after another, before a plan can be formulated and communicated. Each day, something changes after the last test, and then there is another test. For us, this went on for about three weeks. The first stage of the plan was laid out by the oncologist: Radiation would be administered in three places on my sister’s body to slow down the cancer in her bones. She will be in a fight for her life.
Understand your role. I began to realize immediately that family members’ roles will fall into place. Everyone will have a core team. Robin’s team is her husband, three children, three sisters, mother-in-law and friends. There are driving duties for hospital trips. Someone will need to take Robin’s youngest child, who is 13, to her school and extracurricular activities because Robin wants her daughter’s life to remain as normal as possible. There are caring roles, because radiation makes the patient very sick on certain days. There are organizational roles for keeping track of medicines and paperwork. There are spiritual roles to support the patient and family members. We are in the early days, but the roles are starting to form. It is important to respect each person’s role.
Keep focused on the present and future. Look
through the windshield, not the rearview mirror. Everyone thinks: “What if I had done this or that? Could I have been more supportive somehow ahead of time?” But once there is a diagnosis, you have to move forward. We are all human beings, and we all have a tendency to play the “should have, could have” game. It will only wear you out, so move on because no good comes from looking back.
We have found tremendous support through family friend Teri Griege, who battled Stage 4 colon cancer and still managed to complete the Ironman World Championship in Hawaii in 2011. She wrote the book Powered by Hope, created a foundation by the same name and is a national keynote speaker.
I want to close by asking for prayers. I am a strong believer in the power of prayer. My mother refused to say the C word, as if not uttering it will help expel the illness. Instead, our mom said, “Who let that uninvited guest into Robin’s house?” She has taught us well about how to deal with adversity. b PRINTING OUR FIVE 3D PRINTING MACHINES can produce same day/next day parts for shipping wherever you are. Founded in 2004, RPS makes parts using ABS, PRINTING “ OUR FIVE 3D PRINTING MACHINES can produce same day/next day parts for shipping wherever you are. Founded in 2004, RPS makes parts using ABS, POLYCARBONATE, PC/ABS, ULTEM 1010/9085, NYLON-12, NYLON-12/CARBON FIBER, PPSF & PRINTING “ “ OUR FIVE 3D PRINTING MACHINES can produce same day/next day parts for shipping wherever you are. Founded in 2004, RPS makes parts using ABS, POLYCARBONATE, PC/ABS, ULTEM 1010/9085, ” POLYCARBONATE, PC/ABS, ULTEM 1010/9085, NYLON-12, NYLON-12/CARBON FIBER, PPSF & ANTEROE. We make TOOLING, JIGS, and FIXTURES rapidly, and modified quickly for design changes. Ken Brace, Owner ” ANTEROE. We make TOOLING, JIGS, and FIXTURES rapidly, and modified quickly for design changes. Direct Digital Manufacturing or Rapid Prototyping, ” Ken Brace, Owner NYLON-12, NYLON-12/CARBON FIBER, PPSF & ANTEROE. We make TOOLING, JIGS, and FIXTURES rapidly, and modified quickly for design changes. Ken Brace, OwnerRPS CAN HELP YOU WITH BOTH. Direct Digital Manufacturing or Rapid Prototyping,
