WESTLOCK — More than 120 Westlock and area seniors gathered to hear tips on personal and home safety, learn about placement planning and navigating continuing care, information on preventing fraud, and listen to renowned motivational speaker and radio personality, news director and talk show host, Sharon Mallon during the annual Seniors Conference Oct. 16 at the Westlock Memorial Hall.
The day-long conference was presented by the Westlock and District Family and Community Support Services (FCSS).
“It was a great turnout,” said program coordinator Maureen Schiller. “It was another successful seniors conference. There was lots of really great information and the speakers were delightful.”
Those in attendance were engaged, participated and showed a lot of interest in topics being discussed.
“Sharon Mallon was a hit,” said Schiller. “Westlock has a large senior population. They want to learn, they want to hear what’s happening (in the community), and they want to come out and socialize. We have these events so they can learn about some of the hot topics,” she added.
Mallon is also a speaker with the Speakers Bureau of Canada and shared some of her own life experiences and how she overcame obstacles and learned how to deal with different circumstances, including grief.
“I feel that I’ve spent the first 53 years of my life living life, and then the last 10 years understanding it,” said Mallon. “What I learned the most about is the topic I would prefer not to talk about. It’s the hardest topic of all — it is grief, but it’s what I’ve learned the most about.”
Mallon said she likes to talk to people about grief because she herself learned much after she “put a timeline on grief” and considers it a mistake that she wants to help others avoid.
“Learning to not put a timeline on grief is probably what I deem to be one of my most important messages today,” she said, noting that people can grieve over many things — loss of a pet, loss of a limb, loss of a marriage, a friend or family member. “I don’t want anyone who’s grieving to think they need to rush it. Take as much time as they need to, to grieve.”
Sharing that important topic is a focus for her in most of her motivational talks today.
“My key message is something I really want people to really understand — to never diminish their grief, to never dismiss it,” explained Mallon. “That their grief is as important and as grievous as anyone else’s.”
Nine years ago Mallon was diagnosed with blood cancer and had a bone marrow transplant four years ago. She continues to speak at various events and conferences and encourages others to learn, live and enjoy the journey of life.
“You learn a lot going through all that, but it made my life better,” said Mallon. “I look at the life I live today and I live a very authentic life and I’m pretty sure I wouldn’t have, had I not gone through all of this.”
