Alumna Publishes Memoir on Resilience During COVID
By Caitlin Joyce ’20
Alumna and 40 Under 40 recipient Keisha M. Robinson ’18MEd will publish, “I Barely Survived My Summer in Quarantine: A Memoir,” on Sept. 4, which focuses on how she found resilience while quarantining during COVID.
Robinson discusses the impact the pandemic had on her life, including undergoing major surgery and having related complications, as well as the postponement of her treatment for Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma, a cancer that originates in your lymphatic system. She also writes about the Black Lives Matter movement and the approach adults and educators should take while discussing it with children.
“My Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma treatment was stopped during quarantine because the treatment office was closed due to COVID-19,” said Robinson. “I’ve since resumed my treatment but it’s still limited because the office is only open two days a week. My condition has gotten worse because of the inconsistency of treatment, but there aren’t many options for my chronic form of Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma.”
After creating her own website as a space to share her thoughts and feelings, Robinson decided to craft her memoir in the hope that others will see their struggles represented through her writing.
“I noticed the stories being shown in the media didn’t depict my journey or obstacles I had to face as a mother, wife, cancer patient, and educator during quarantine,” said Robinson. “Surviving quarantine isn’t exclusively about COVID-19 but rather survival of the barriers and events that took place during the quarantine. I write about the death of George Floyd during the quarantine, the movement it created, and its effects on my own children.”
While her memoir discusses the various difficulties which emerged in Robinson’s life during the COVID-19 pandemic, she ultimately leaves the reader with a feeling of resilience and hope for the future.
Today, Robinson works as a counselor and mental health expert for schools in the Philadelphia area. She is a student of the University’s Educational Leadership doctoral program.
