For human resources executive, Kim Hamer supporting employees with cancer is personal. She has seen firsthand the impact a supportive leader can have on an employee coping either with their own cancer diagnosis or the diagnosis of their loved ones. Kim credits her husband’s boss for giving her and her children three more years with Art, her husband, after this first entanglement with cancer.
This experience led Kim to write her book, start her podcast, and redirect her professional energies toward helping managers and leaders be more supportive of their employees. This topic is close to my heart because I have been there and understand how challenging it can be for an employee who has a loved one with cancer. Knowing how and when to be supportive is not easy.
Kim and I connected through a Facebook post looking for guests for her podcast. I reached out, offering her a glimpse into my experience with my parents. During our call to determine if my story matched her podcast guest criteria, I also realized her story was the perfect fit for my show. In the end, I was on her show and now she is on mine.
100 Acts of Love
In this episode, Kim shares how her personal experience with her husband’s cancer put her in the position of being the “go-to” for what to do (or not do) for others and recognizing the opportunity for human resource professionals to help managers be better equipped and support when necessary. Her purpose has become focused on supporting employees with cancer.
Think about the last time you knew someone with cancer or who was caring for a loved one – you wanted to help but didn’t know what would be meaningful or helpful? Kim and I talk about how sometimes it is the small things – like offering to restock their bathroom or get the oil changed in their car – that can be a welcoming offer for assistance.
About Kim Hamer
On April 16, 2009, Kim Hamer watched her 44-year-old husband take his last breath. Their children were 12, 9, and 7 at the time. While her husband had cancer and after he died, Kim was amazed by the creative and thoughtful ways her husband’s organization, friends and family, supported them. She started calling these kind actions “acts of love.”
Wanting to show others what easy, simple, and impactful acts of love are, Kim wrote 100 Acts of Love: A Girlfriend’s Guide to Loving Your Friend through Cancer or Loss and launched 100ActsofLove.com, with a mission to help companies and people to act with confidence when cancer strikes.
Combining her human resources and personal experience, Kim now consults with organizations by providing practical tools for businesses and teams who want to support employees with cancer.
Kim lives in Los Angeles and tries not to bother her relatively well-behaved college-aged children.
Resources mentioned in this episode:
- 100actsoflove.com
- 100 Acts of Love (book)
- 100 Acts of Love (podcast)
- 100actsoflove.com Amy Austin on Kim Hamer’s podcast
- Seven lessons from being a caregiver and running a business
- Marketing Director on Call
PS… if you enjoy the show, please rate it on Apple podcasts, Google Podcasts, or Stitcher, and write a short review. Reviews help more people like you find the show!
If you don’t know how to leave a review, I’ve included the instructions below!
How to rate and leave a review for a podcast
Apple podcasts
- On your iOS mobile device, launch the Apple podcasts app.
- Tap the search tab in the lower right corner of the screen.
- Enter the name of the podcast you want to rate or review.
- Tap the Reviews tab, then tap
- Write a Review at the bottom of the screen.
Stitcher
- Go to The Pursuit of Purpose on Stitcher
- Scroll down until you see Write a Review under “load more episodes”
- Write a review or leave a rating
How to rate and leave a review for a podcast
Apple podcasts
- On your iOS mobile device, launch the Apple podcasts app.
- Tap the search tab in the lower right corner of the screen.
- Enter the name of the podcast you want to rate or review.
- Tap the Reviews tab, then tap
- Write a Review at the bottom of the screen.
Stitcher
- Go to The Pursuit of Purpose on Stitcher
- Scroll down until you see Write a Review under “load more episodes”
- Write a review or leave a rating
