May I take this opportunity to wish all of my friends and colleagues a very happy and healthy new year. For those who have continued to support me and the various organisations I represent this year, I am enormously grateful for all your efforts and I pray 2022 is kind to you.
Unfortunately, 2021 has not been a great year for me personally. Despite being double vaccinated, in September, I contracted Covid-19 for a second time, which resulted in several months of hospitalisation and prolonged treatments to try and reverse some of the damage to my body caused by this horrid virus. My own experience is that corona virus is unpredictable and just when you feel as though you’re making progress, it finds a new way to pull you back in. Whilst the battle continues for me, I do appreciate how very lucky I am not to have succumb like many others. I am also beyond grateful to the teams of scientists, doctors, care workers and others who have, quite literally, kept me going.
Of course, a new year brings new opportunities and I, more than ever, am keen to beat this and rebuild. I am acutely aware how lucky I am to have the safety net of the NHS for emergency care, in addition to private medical insurance for speed of treatment and testing. I am blessed to have an employer who has stood by me and allowed me to put my health before my work commitments and I am fortunate to have friends and colleagues who I haven’t been able to see for some time, but have continued to check-in and wish me well. It is a remarkable team and I look forward to repaying their kindness in due course.
For anyone who has not yet been vaccinated or had the booster, or indeed if you are experiencing hardship resulting from the difficulties Covid-19 poses, please take a look at the City of London’s website where help is available: https://www.cityoflondon.gov.uk/footer/covid-19
