A guest blog by Georges Lalahy, Leader – Engineering.
With over 25 years managing clients and global teams in the IT industry, Georges Lalahy is the Head of Escalation for IP Phones and Wearables in the Collaboration Group and specialises in resolving highly critical incidents.
Towards the end of last year, I visited a very close friend in the Sue Ryder Hospice and told her I would be walking the Camino de Santiago in her name. Sadly, my friend lost her battle to Cancer aged 50.
Through our Time to Give and CSR programmes, Cisco employees support many local charities in the UK. I am the Cisco ambassador for the Royal Berkshire Charity which fundraises for the local hospital in Reading. Over the years, Cisco employees have helped the hospital with different fundraising events. The “Oasis” project at the Royal Berkshire Hospital supported by Cisco even won the award for “Workplace Health and Wellbeing” from the Thames Valley Chamber of Commerce.
For the Camino trek, we decided to fundraise for the purchase of a breast screening machine for a mobile screening van. This van is set to travel to twelve different locations in Berkshire, providing accessible screening services to patients.
Fundraising: the power of connection
A member of our legal team, fuelled by the personal connection of her mother’s battle with cancer, set her sights on the historic Camino pilgrimage. Her enthusiasm was infectious, and it wasn’t long before her spirit and determination inspired me to aim higher with our fundraising endeavours. Eager to make a substantial impact, I reached out to several Cisco partners to garner support for our cause, and the response was overwhelmingly positive:
- A dedicated partner, with whom I’ve had the pleasure of collaborating for over 15 years, didn’t hesitate to back us up when I approached them with our mission.
- At a Cisco event where I had the opportunity to present, I struck up a conversation with another partner and mentioned the Camino in passing. Months later, to my surprise and delight, they recalled our chat and eagerly jumped on board to support us.
- The Camino itself brought unexpected encounters and generosity. As we made our way along the path, some of our team members met fellow travellers and shared the story behind our journey. One such person, moved by our dedication and spotting the Cisco flag on my backpack, went out of their way to catch up with me and contribute a significant donation to our cause.
The journey was more than just a physical trek; it was a testament to the kindness and support that can be found both within and beyond the Cisco family.
The Camino stones
The Camino de Santiago is a historical pilgrimage walk, well known for people leaving a symbol for “loved ones” along the route. To raise money, we decided to host a cake sale but with a difference! Anyone buying a cake would also get to pick a commemorative stone and write a message dedicated to someone and the Cisco team would then carry and leave that stone on the Camino.
I connected with the Reading Kindness stones group (a local inclusive community group) who agreed to create 100 stones for Cisco employees. They were nominated for the Pride of Reading Award for their support. The “Cake/Stone sale” was a success due to the team’s exceptional efforts, creativity, and connections. I was so proud of all the generous donations made by so many employees. Our team built a connection between our walk and the donors through those stones, and we raised an incredible £5,000.
The walk and togetherness
You don’t decide to walk over 100km for fun. There is something you are seeking. Pilgrims carry questions, worries, burdens that are resolved along the journey. For whatever reason you start the Camino, you come back a different person.
The team undertaking the Camino consisted of 21 individuals from 14 different countries, mostly residing in the UK, and represented a diverse mix of Cisco roles (including legal, support, engineering, customer experience & sales), as well as a wide range of ages – ranging from 23 to 60. It was a real melting pot. We hardly knew each other at the beginning, but we left as a family.
The walk created the opportunity for so many random conversations. People were mixing with each other dependent on their walking pace, their emotions, their feelings. We always got together at the start and at the end of each day.
We had so many diverse conversations on topic such as religion, careers at Cisco, life’s purpose, football, C-Fest, the Euros, cooking, blister socks, and deep-tissue massage guns. The challenging conditions of the walk, including bad weather, steep hills, and injuries, brought the team members together as they supported one another and shared resources to reach the destination. The spirit of Cisco in action!
Back home, other Cisco employees felt connected to our project as we carried the commemorative stones with messages for their loved ones. The team sent pictures and the GPS location of each stone to employees who responded with heartfelt messages of gratitude. The team also left a stone on behalf of Cisco, symbolising our collective effort and the journey shared by all involved.
I would like to recognise everyone who dedicated time and energy to train and improve their mental and physical health in preparation for walking the Camino and who participated to this adventure. We also raised an amazing amount for a great cause: Colin McKail, Sumithra Mani, Stephane Cohen, Mihailo Cosovic, Paul Hermann, Andrew Lyons, Hugo Fontinha Eugenio, Joy Aboim, Xose Bravo Garcia, Josh Clarke, Hui Eng Lim, Hui Jin Lim, Vladimir Cristea, Emma Foley, Manpreet Harbias, Geovani Goncalves, Mo Badri, Azad Badri, Marco Reis, Maad Sheikh.
Thank you to Cisco for giving us the opportunity to give back to the community and for matching the donation.
“Walk knowing that you are never alone, because those who love you and have loved you accompany you” Audrey Hepburn.
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3 Comments
To George’s Lalahy, I thank you dearly for everything you have done in my daughter’s name, she loved you then and we all love you now. We, Laura’s family thank everyone at Cisco Camino for your kindness.
Congratulations to all of you!! No mean feat to walk 100km. You should be really proud of yourselves, and proud that you've supported a charity whilst doing it!
this is so awesome & inspiring George, Colin, Xose, Mo & others.