This weekend I attended the visionary event Lake Nona Impact Forum. You may or may not have heard of this innovative 3-day event focused on a commitment to cultivating health and wellness innovation that can advance quality of life, yet it’s the most awe-inspiring, life-changing experience I’ve been honored to partake in. Partners in the innovative, health, and technology sectors are plenty from KPMG, Chopra Foundation, Guidewell Innovation, Verizon, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Fortune and Worth Magazine, Advent Health, HCA Florida Healthcare, Microsoft, Nemours Children’s Health, UF Health and the Edyth Bush Charitable Foundation (which sponsored my delegate invitation).
A list of world-renowned speakers from many countries flew in to Lake Nona over three days, beginning at the KPMG Lakehouse, an 800,000 sq. ft. facility and training center for their worldwide business. The Lake Nona Impact Forum is the only outside event they host in this state of the art, stunningly designed architectural wonder complete with 11 restaurant food commons that is fully stocked with local food sourced menu.
I have spent hours attempting to put into words what I experienced, knowing that it was life-changing while I was experiencing it moment by moment. The #LNIF23 list of speakers is a convening of the Nation’s Top Thought Leaders in Health and Healthcare. They actually brought in International Top Thought Leaders too! The phenomenal part was how integrated the speakers were with the 300 honored delegates that were invited to this opportunity. Meeting with speakers was as easy as finding them at dinner tables and in the common areas during thoughtful afternoon snacks or at the closing dinner celebration at the Lake Nona Wave Hotel, a luxury lifestyle hotel focused on innovative technology that charges and re-charges the soul.
Every element of the event, from the ambiance and nourishment to the feast for the eyes and the soul-stirring talks, was top-notch, crafting a slice of Utopia right here on Earth. It was as if we gathered all the finest ingredients with the noblest of intentions for humanity's well-being, mixing them into a recipe for perfection. Amidst this harmonious blend, there was a palpable sense of peace, as if everyone stood on common, fertile ground, ready to sow the seeds of a radiant, healthful future for all. Tackling the barriers to equal health opportunities emerged as the heart of the conversation, setting the stage for transformative action.
My widow advocate senses were on overdrive, eyes wide open to the bounty of resources in this realm that could address the intricate puzzles of widowhood—problems long ignored, unaided, and unstudied. It was like uncovering a treasure map where X marks the spot for potential solutions that could intersect with those still on the drawing board for our tribe. From mental health and well-being to advocacy, and from groundbreaking tech to prevention, research, education, and raising awareness, not to mention the powerful tales of change. It was a revelation of how myriad solutions could weave together to craft a brighter tapestry for widows everywhere.
This sparked visions of a transformed horizon for widow's health, pushing me to question my own perceptions: "What's the contrast between facing widowhood—arguably life's most harrowing ordeal—utterly blindsided versus having a roadmap to not just survive, but thrive in health?" It nudged me to ponder deeply on crafting paths that ensure widows don't just get by, but genuinely flourish.
We're talking about a comprehensive game plan here—preventative measures, timely interventions, immediate reactions, and both short-term and long-term strategies tailored to the myriad stages of a woman's life, because let's face it, widowhood doesn't discriminate by age; it's a club women might join anywhere from their roaring twenties to their nostalgic nineties. It's a relentless cycle of going from single, to wed, to widowed that's playing out millions of times over, day in and day out. We're mapping the entire odyssey from being a wife, to standing on the precipice of widowhood, navigating the transition from wife to widow, and embarking on the widow's journey itself. Considering that 70% of married women will join the widow ranks in their lifetime, and in the year 2023 alone, we're looking at over 1 million women making this transition. Not to mention, the United States holds the bronze medal for the largest widow population globally, with Florida ranking fourth in the widow count among the U.S. states.
Perched at the Lake Nona Impact Forum, aware that Central Florida is home to some 80K widows—a club I’ve known since 2000—I couldn't help but ponder, did anyone else in the room have a clue? Turns out, the majority I chatted with were in the dark.
Widows and their unique challenges seem to be the missing piece in the health care puzzle, an overlooked demographic that deeply impacts various industries in ways most haven't even considered.
The facts and figures surrounding widowhood are so under the radar, it's almost as if they're part of a secret society that desperately needs a spotlight. What we're talking about here is the need for a public awareness campaign of blockbuster proportions to launch widowhood from the shadows of anonymity it's been lurking in. Even in the wake of a widow-making phenomenon like the COVID-19 pandemic, the specific health disparities, human rights issues, and calls for support from this group of women remain largely unheard. Throughout the entire event, not a single speaker uttered the words 'widow' or 'widowhood.' It was only in my own interactions, amidst casual mingling and mealtime banter as the founder of Modern Widows Club, that widows got any airtime. While many were keen to engage once I broached the subject, there were just as many who, for whatever reason, chose not to dive into the discussion.
In every chat, lightbulbs went off as people grasped that widows, though seemingly invisible, are actually crucial players in finding answers and conducting research across a spectrum of areas—be it tackling sleep issues, mental health challenges, striving for health equality, addressing global dilemmas, supporting faith and hope initiatives, diving into medical and scientific research, leading the charge in journalism, guiding investments and philanthropy, navigating the public gun violence dilemma, exploring music therapy, delving into aging and longevity, or driving innovation and technological breakthroughs.
Should a new dawn in health care be on the verge, it's clear widows must not be left out. They're the ones enduring the ultimate stress test: the loss of a spouse. The ripple effects of such a loss are magnified by the absence of preemptive measures and knowledge, compounded further by a shortfall in immediate support, and the ongoing neglect of their short- and long-term necessities—affecting roughly 15% of the global populace.
Yet, there's a beacon of hope. We're calling on the crème de la crème of health innovators, psychologists, scientists, nutrition experts, financiers, social scientists, gender studies scholars, policy architects, and pioneering thinkers to rally together. Our aim? To tackle this societal emergency that touches every family across the globe, ensuring no one has to navigate widowhood's tumultuous waters alone.
The thing is, you can't miss what you're unaware of. That's where a trailblazer like myself comes in, stirring the pot at a three-day shindig like this one—talk about a privilege!
Lucky for me, I managed to forge some game-changing connections with folks who genuinely give a hoot and recognized the ripple effect of future collaborations. What a win! Here are a few:
Rubbing elbows with Bishop TD and Mrs. Serita Jakes definitely topped the charts of my event experiences. They're at the helm, guiding a flock that's all about extending a hand to the overlooked and undervalued. Their keenness on amplifying support for widows and sparking a renaissance for this group was clear as day. And sure, it's rooted in scripture, but when I nudged TD Jakes with, "So, you were raised by a widow?" there was a pause—a moment of realization—before he affirmed, "Yes, yes I was!" Yet, in his stage moments, he crowned her as a 'single mom,' weaving tales of his dad's lasting influence pre-departure. There I was, connecting the dots, realizing he hadn't once uttered 'widow,' showcasing just how shadowed the term—and the condition—remains, even among those intimately acquainted with it.
Imagine finding yourself in a serene morning meditation led by none other than Deepak Chopra, alongside 40 other attendees. During this session, I was transported back to a profoundly peaceful memory—the moment my dear husband Chad's soul embarked on its journey beyond, with my soul seemingly in tow. It was a peace that defies explanation, a serene reminder that such tranquility can be reached through deep, contemplative meditation. Post-meditation, I had a chance to chat with Deepak, and my story struck a chord with him. He was so touched that he inquired, "Where do you live?" and "May I have your contact card?"
Little did I know, the Chopra Foundation's home base is right here in Lake Nona/Central FL, and it's the very place where the Lake Nona Performance Center cradles the Chopra Mind Body Spa Zone—where our paths crossed. Deepak's latest initiative, Never Alone Love, perfectly echoes our own vision of fostering interconnected communities. Specifically, it champions the cause of providing widows with a sanctuary to discover peace, meaning, and purpose.
During my time there, I also had the opportunity to connect with folks from GuideWell Innovation and the FL Blue and Blue Cross Blue Shield insurance powerhouses. GuideWell is on a mission to elevate health and well-being for individuals and communities, leading the charge with their innovative approaches, collaborative efforts, and advocacy for an improved health care landscape.
At a casual munching session in the GuideWell Innovation Center, I bumped into KP Capehart, the maestro of Strategic Partnerships at Full Sail University. I laid out our nonprofit's ambitious roadmap: six integrated projects over the next three to five years, including a slick, professional 5-minute video for our website, a dynamic new interactive web platform, a captivating short documentary, a more expansive documentary series, a pioneering health-focused app tailor-made for widows, and a public awareness blitz complete with PR savvy. KP's response? A resounding "We've got this." He assured me that Full Sail's arsenal of talent in web development, media and TV production, media communications, videography, app and software creation, and cutting-edge tech solutions is more than equipped to bring our vision to life.
Exiting the event felt like stepping through a portal into a groundbreaking future for the well-being of widows, a transformative shift taking root in both my heart and mind. Moreover, it heralded a promising horizon for our nonprofit, setting the stage for future alliances and collaborations with leading thinkers and enterprises.
On International Women's Day, March 8th, the Modern Widows Club was championing the cause from one coast to the other, truly embodying advocacy on a global scale.
As if this wasn’t enough, Modern Widows Club Seattle was at the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation sporting their #OneMillionWidows signs from our #InternationalWidowsDay June 23 public awareness campaign. Supporting our #Kenya #Africa Community Advocate Roseline Orwa speaking at an event ‘Reimagining Motherhood’ - her infertility turned into mothering 37 #orphans as a #widow, event sponsored by The Moth.
Thanks to our #Orlando #WidowAdvocate Jeanice Young, Modern Widows Club attended UCF School of Public Administration Research Conference and Job Fair on March 10th. We shared our internship opportunities with students and professors to support our community #nonprofit mission and vision needs in the areas of research and public policy initiatives.
The UCF event theme was "To explore innovations aimed at expanding community, organizational, and learning outcomes through improved interdisciplinary and cross sectoral approaches”.
This week was a peek into showing me how different life for widows is about to look. We are on the precipice of a revolution for widow support, solutions and research. The universe is on the edge of doing something big and something good in the name of widows. Decades of advocating from those before me, within Modern Widows Club and all widow advocates globally are coming together and shining a light on the great invisible needs of these vital community citizens.
In the next 20 years, we are now beginning to see the future in mind, a society that will create good change with the effective tools and scientific innovations we currently possess and unite to make it so, but also the future developments in the innovative age holding hands with the healing age of Aquarius to make humanity more equitable for all. We will enter into a time where segments of society who suffer and need awareness will find the funding necessary to match and solve their complex challenges by collectively aligning to create necessary impact.
Widows and widows’ stories will be included and they will make a tremendous impact in healing what needs healing with their inspiration, connections and leadership. The quote, “You don’t know what you don’t know” will be exposed and the unknowns for widows needs will be fully illuminated.
Wild horses cannot stop us now. We are riding those wild horses towards audacious change. Wild, free and gratefully alive to be on this side of herstory. We will amaze others with our determination, courage, faithfulness, perseverance, wisdom, inventiveness and persuasion. All in the name of love and honor.
Carolyn Moor
Founder Modern Widows Club & Widow Advocate
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