2022-May-20
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Honoring Friends, Colleagues, and Family on the Camino
BY NIALL HEALY · CUSTOMER SUCCESS EXECUTIVE · SPAIN
WITH HELEN GALL
4 MINUTE READ · 6 MINUTE LISTEN
In June 2022, I will undertake an adventure to walk 115 kilometers in northwest Spain. I will be walking the Camino de Santiago — or the Way of Saint James — over five days.
I’m not taking this journey alone. Over 400 Cisco employees, families, and friends — from 21 countries — will come together as a community to complete the hike.
We’ll be walking different paths, but we will all arrive in Santiago de Compostela on June 10. There we will have a small celebration to recognize the achievement.
The Way of Saint James is a network of pilgrims' ways leading to the shrine of the apostle Saint James the Great in the cathedral of Santiago de Compostela in Galicia in northwestern Spain.
It has been a route of pilgrimage since the 10th century, and it’s a UNESCO World Heritage site.
More than 200,000 people walk the Camino every year, each for different reasons: Spiritual, well-being, fitness, fun, connecting with friends and family, or for a journey of discovery and adventure.
So, why am I walking the Camino?
It all started out 2.5 years ago, when my colleague and friend Esther Roure shared that she was going to organize a small group of friends from Cisco Brussels to hike the Camino.
I had always been interested and had a few other friends who spoke highly of the experience. I asked Esther if I could join.
We quickly agreed to drive a Belgian-Spanish initiative to get 20 to 30 friends together to walk the Camino.
At this stage, my objective was to challenge myself physically and mentally and have some fun with friends.
That changed in late 2019 when our much-esteemed Spanish colleague Jesus Mansilla passed away from cancer. Jesus was a long-term Cisco employee and deeply appreciated within the company for his many great qualities.
My beloved aunt Joan had only recently passed away from cancer, so the enormity of this disease and the impact it has on so many lives, hit home.
Honoring friends, colleagues, and family
As we discussed ways to honour Jesus, I proposed that we raise funds for cancer charities on his behalf through the Camino.
Word began to spread. By late February 2020, 200 people from multiple countries had signed up to join on the Camino.
The pandemic brought our plans crashing down, but worse was to follow. Two treasured Cisco Spain colleagues, Miquel Feliu and Jaime Salcedo, also passed away from cancer in the summer of 2020.
This strengthened my resolve to make the Camino a success and to raise funds for cancer in the names of Jesus, Miquel, Jaime, and my aunt Joan.
As we ended 2021, we reconvened with the objective to celebrate the event in summer of 2022.
Given the lockdowns of the previous two years, the adventure resonated with more people than ever. Before we knew it, 432 Cisco employees, family, and friends were signed up to participate.
Along with raising funds for those we had lost to cancer, I wanted to reconnect with colleagues who I had not seen for a couple of years and make new Cisco friends on the road to Santiago.
As we know, life is far from simple. There’s always something around the corner. Just like the Camino, it’s a journey!
I’ve had a long-standing minor heart issue for the past 10 years. In October 2021, the cardiologist recommended surgery. The process was meant to be a simple two hours in the operating room, overnight in Intensive Care, and then resting at home for 2 weeks before a return to normal life.
Unfortunately, while the operation itself went well, there was an issue that led to a stroke.
I spent 10 days in the hospital, then two more months at home to convalesce.
Thankfully, there were no major long-term consequences, but as I'd been unable to train, my strength and stamina had decreased. So, in early February, I had to restart my Camino preparation from scratch.
Undertaking the Camino became my motivation for recovery, fitness, and health.
I have been on my own personal journey over the last two and a half years. Each step on the way brought a new challenge and another new reason to undertake the Camino.
There are many reasons to walk the Camino de Santiago. Now you’ve heard mine.
What are yours?
Employee Resources
- Donate to El Camino 2022 via Bright Funds
- Cisco Cancer Support Network
- Global Wellbeing SharePoint Site
- Employee Assistance Program (EAP)
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