I Meet His Excellency the President
Some time ago, I wrote to His Excellency, President George Vella. I wanted to express my gratitude for the excellent care I have received at Mater Dei hospital and Samoc, I wanted to know how I could raise awareness of ovarian cancer, and I wanted to know how I could raise some funds for the President’s Community Chest Fund.
Very soon after, I was delighted to receive a reply from San Anton Palazzo inviting me to meet with the president.
For the meeting, I dragged out a dress that I could fit into. I was happy that I wasn’t completely bald and that my hair was growing back. I applied a little eye-liner and eyebrow pencil, but no mascara, unfortunately: my eyelashes were still too sparse. I did contemplate wearing false ones, but knowing my luck, one would come unstuck and land in the president’s cup of tea! With a touch of lipstick, I was ready to go.
Inside the presidential palace, nervously clutching my notes, I was led up a vast, red-carpeted staircase and escorted into a large stateroom. The room was set out with about twenty chairs arranged in a semi-circle. Each chair had its own small side-table. Oh my, I thought: what have I done? I’m going to have to present to a large group!
The president, who was a doctor for over fifty years, entered the room alone. We bumped elbows Covid-style then he invited me to sit. He told me that he wanted to ask me some medical questions, which is why he hadn’t asked anyone else to attend as he was concerned that I may not have wanted to talk freely about certain health issues. As you all know, I don’t have any problem discussing my cancer, but I remember thinking that this was very thoughtful of him.
We began by chatting about the symptoms I had experienced, the treatment I had received and the ever-increasing cost of cancer medication. We also talked about the pharmaceutical companies that manufacture them. He couldn’t believe that I was still undergoing treatment and kept remarking about how well I looked. (Isn’t it remarkable what lipstick can do?)
When I mentioned that I would like to raise some funds for the President’s Community Chest Fund, he said that he would put me in touch with the people who would point me in the right direction.
What struck me, was that the president is both down-to-earth and a man who listens. This was evidenced by the fact that we chatted for over an hour. (I would have thought myself lucky to be given fifteen minutes out of his busy schedule.)
Meeting His Excellency, President George Vella, was both enjoyable and productive. It was also, for me, a great honour.
