Supporting Adrienne Campbell

Adrienne Campbell, Transition pioneer is unwell and needs our help

by Ben Brangwyn

I met Adrienne in the very early days of Transition, in Lewes in the UK. That town was one of the first four pioneer initiatives in the UK, and the impressive list of achievements that Transition Town Lewes have made since those early days can be traced back to the solid start that Adrienne gave the initiative.

It was clear right from the outset that she totally "got" what Transition was about, and was immediately enriching how we were thinking and doing this work. Phrases concerning transition that I use daily have the mark of Adrienne's powerful and positive influence.

Transition thinking infuses every aspect of her life and it's been inspiring to me to see that spirit within other members of her family.

I continue to find her insightful, compassionate, funny and exceedingly grounded. 

Her dance with cancer has been going on a while now and a recent diagnosis has prompted a group of fellow transitioners to write a letter to people who have known her.

Dear all,

We’re writing to you because a very dear friend and inspirational member of the Transition community - Adrienne Campbell - is unwell. A few years ago Adrienne went through breast cancer. Earlier this year a tumour was removed from her brain. Now, unfortunately, cancerous cells have been found in two other parts of her body.

To support Adrienne with her recovery, we invite you to think positive, healing thoughts for her every day at 9am UK time. Her husband, Dirk, would like us to imagine that Adrienne is already well and has come through this difficult situation completely successfully. Think of her as flourishing, happy and radiating good health.

One of our friends made a similar request when her partner’s one transplanted kidney was failing. She asked us to imagine the kidney as a healthy, pink, shiny gift in him, one that was working perfectly. And, in due course, that is exactly what happened – his kidney started working properly and he was able to continue living a full and happy life.

Whatever you do, please think about Adrienne in the coming weeks and months. Think about the extraordinary person she is, both inside and outside the Transition movement. And think about the wonderful friend she is to so many of us. At this time she really deserves to be in our thoughts.

Many thanks,

Alexis Rowell, Sarah Nicholl & Mike Grenville

P.S. Please do pass this on to anyone who knows Adrienne. 

My request for help goes beyond her friends and acquaintances, out to everyone who's benefited from her insights and groundbreaking work - and that's just about everyone in Transition land.

So here's what I'm doing. I've set an alarm on my phone to go off at 9am to remind me to think these positive thoughts about Adrienne. I'm not suggesting that the power of projected healing is efficacious or otherwise, and I'm not speculating on how it functions. I simply very aware that forging a positive vision of a healthy and vibrant Adrienne may very well help her and will have the added benefit of grounding me in one of the key practices of transition. If we can envisage what we want, the chances of us getting there are hugely increased.

I am also trying to indelibly associate the act of positive visioning with Adrienne. When I fix bikes in Totnes, helping keep people on two wheels instead of four, a little piece of that vision will include a healthy, vibrant Adrienne. When I walk down our high street, imagining what it could look like if we'd successfully transitioned, she'll be in that picture. And I'll also keep in mind all the others we need to be well and healthy to help us on this crazily ambitious journey we've set out on.

And if we can help her, and others, truly stay in the picture, vibrant and healthy, we'll all be much the richer because of it.