In the Heart of it all
Several weeks ago, June 4, 2019, to be exact, I had the fortune of co-hosting (with Seth) eight other young adults who are either living with or who have tested positive for rare and chronic conditions. I knew some and their stories already; and for others, this was the first time meeting them. Because of the intimate setting we were in, the basement of a small café in Philly, we were able to share the depth of our stories, beyond just introductions. Every person in that room, when they spoke, regardless of the change in diagnosis or upbringing or current circumstance, immediately became someone (if not already) that I consider family.
The things shared were things that many people on the street wouldn’t know about us, as many of us have what is considered “invisible diseases.” It’s hard to describe the feeling; but imagine being in a room of people who “just get you.” Many may be able to equate that to the relationship with a brother, sister, best friend, mom or dad. The people in the café that night were not any of these things for me, relationally. And yet, they understood. They understood the eating disorders and behavior patterns I’ve developed because of the mental capacity required to manage my symptoms, and the pressure to “fit in” with the rest of the world. They understood the need to “separate” myself from others to REST. They got the guilt of not only surviving, but thriving, with a disease that has killed my peers.
Bri Granese is one of the women that I only knew through social media before that evening. We have different trajectories and different prognoses. As she shared her story, I observed her. She hesitated at first; as soon as she spoke about her son Danny, however, her face lit up. I felt connected to her on a level that can’t be explained by words, but let’s just say that “my heartstrings were tugged.” I knew that, because of her son (and because of my own experience fostering a boy Danny’s age from Belarus), and because she is a young woman my age who has also struggled with eating disorders, we could sharpen one another socially and emotionally, having lived with similar circumstances (and different prognoses).
In summary, beyond the connection I made with Bri, who I know will be a lifelong “sister-friend,” I made other lifelong connections that night. People who get it and who get me and all of my “weird” quirks. This is exactly why Our Odyssey was born. Along with these meet-ups and the creation of opportunities to develop lifelong friends, our goal is to provide a platform for social and emotional support by way of connection, and to steward these relationships by sharing lessons learned, opportunities to co-create solutions with industry, and collaborate on interventions that can help us all steward young adult mental health advocacy well.
Our early adopters are saying these things about Our Odyssey:
“It was so special to connect with extraordinary humans, living their extraordinary lives with extraordinary obstacles. How amazing it is to meet people who just get it. I’m honored to be a part of Our Odyssey’s growing family.” – Briana Granese
“Our Odyssey is the extra support I didn’t know I was missing. Seth and Kristina’s passion for helping unite young people and make them feel less alone shines through fiercely. You come to a meeting a hesitant stranger and in two hours you leave as a part of a family. I can’t say enough about the positivity that has resulted in my personal journey through this organization!” – Gabby McNary