Episode 37: Anson Mackay

Running on Joy

Joy is...Staying Alive.

At any moment, life could change in an instant. When that happens, what do you do? Anson Mackay is someone who inspires me on a pretty much daily basis. Up until their retirement in April 2022, they were a Professor at University College London, specialising in paleoecology, and have worked for over 30 years on assessing human and climatic impacts on some of the world’s most important freshwater ecosystems, including Lake Baikal and the Aral Sea in central Asia, and the Okavango Delta in Southern Africa. Having come out in the 1980s, when the AIDS crisis was in full flow and marches and protests were rallying against Section 28, a piece of homophobic legislation in the UK, they are a passionate advocate for the queer community and pushing for a more equitable and compassionate society. They like running a lot. So much so that they have completed several 100-miler races, most recently the gruelling Arc of Attrition: a perilous winter traverse of the Southwest Coat Path. For many, that would be challenge enough for one life; however, Anson's vibrant light shines all the brighter against the shade of the reality of existing with Stage 4-HPV related cancer.

Anson carries themself with grace, humility and dignity, and it is with great generosity that they share their potent story. In essence, it's a very real conversation about death. More than that, however, it's an affirmative celebration of the gorgeous, fragile fluidity of the human spirit. Anson is the kind of person who makes you realise what it is to love and that gratitude, positivity and compassion are what life is about. Each day is a miracle and that is an incredibly exciting thing.

About: about.me/ansonmackay

Blog: www.ansonmackay.com/blog

Insta: @ansonmackay

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