The times, they are a-changin’

It is with tremendous excitement and a touch of sadness I share a new journey with you, my friends. In two weeks, I will be leaving The Huntsville Times to join the communications team at the HudsonAlpha Institute for Biotechnology.

While leaving journalism and The Times is bittersweet, I cannot begin to share how excited I am about my new job. Well, actually I can — here in this blog. What you may not realize is HudsonAlpha is a world leader in biotechnology research. The 150-acre campus is located in Huntsville’s Cummings Research Park — the second largest research park in the country.

HudsonAlpha focuses on the study of genes, or genomics. And while I don’t have a science background, I’d by lying if I said I’m not terribly interested in genome research. (I mean, hello, I do have diabetes after all). In a nutshell, HudsonAlpha’s campus is home to several laboratories where research is conducted on a variety of things. Its campus is also home to companies with an interest in getting that research on its way to helping the patient — like me. Right now, researchers at HudsonAlpha are studying psychiatric disorders, neurological diseases, several types of cancer, cardiovascular disease and diabetes.

There is so much more to HudsonAlpha than research alone, but there will be more about that in later blogs. For now, I am excited about working with a company I believe in and support — a company that is doing great things. I’m honored to be just a small part of such great research — even if my job includes sharing the research and not actively participating.

So the next two weeks will be tough as I leave the only world I’ve known — print journalism. I will say goodbye to dear friends that I look forward to seeing each day. No more lunches in the coffee shop or trips to Arby’s next door. No more newsroom petit-fours and home-baked cookies. But it’s time to make a move, and this is mine. I’m grateful for this opportunity, and I feel fortunate to have been offered this job.

Leaving journalism was a tough decision, but one I’d been pondering for a while. Along with my family, I prayed that when the time was right, God would open the door. This is the opportunity I prayed for, and I am looking forward to the future. I knew it was the perfect job for me for several reasons, one being  my diabetes was an asset and not a deterrent. I didn’t need to hide my blog or pretend I didn’t have a “pre-existing condition.” It was known, and I believe, probably helped me in overall scheme of things.

In the coming weeks, my blogs may be a bit sparse as I acquaint myself with new surroundings and learn a new world (and take laps around that double-helix sidewalk). Thank you for being a friend and for supporting me in my new journey. Be on the lookout for future stories regarding HudsonAlpha research and the new job.

I’m not leaving Huntsville, JDRF or Hot Shots. My blog will remain, as will the ramblings of life with diabetes and the occasional “War Eagle” post. I’ve shared many wonderful memories with my Huntsville Times family, had some amazing opportunities and learned some valuable life lessons. But as I begin a new journey, I only look back with fond memories because I look ahead with promise and hope.