Pat Ingelse marks 30 years at North Shore Bank this year.

Five years ago, when we last checked in with Information Systems project manager Pat Ingelse, she was 15 months out from a cancer diagnosis. An irrepressible optimist, she joked with her doctors and viewed what many people would consider a tragedy as an opportunity for growth. Among other things, she was inspired by her own treatments to take up reiki, the Japanese art of energy healing. After becoming certified as a reiki master, she started volunteering as a practitioner and opened her own practice.

“Pat has stepped into a variety of necessary new initiatives for North Shore Bank during her 30 years here,” says her boss, SVP and CIO Dean Trout. “As project manager, she brings standardization and documentation to many of our processes, including many documents that the Business Continuity Steering Committee counts on for continued success during this pandemic. I really appreciate her attention to detail and consistency.”

For her 30th anniversary with North Shore Bank, Pat talked to Shorelines about how things are going now.

The obvious first question is: How are things going on the cancer front?
Things have been great! I have been officially kicked out of the oncology “nest,” being five years out from my last chemo treatment. Every checkup has been great. I’m very grateful for the amazing team of doctors I had and all the support from my NSB family — it’s because of them that things turned out so well. I still plan on having an oncology check once a year for a few years, just for peace of mind.

And how about reiki?
So many wonderful things have happened since reiki “moved in” to my life. Being able to share its calming benefits as a volunteer at the Grafton Cancer Center and in a hospice environment is so rewarding. At my own very small business, Inner Ki, I offer reiki sessions, conduct a variety of meditation sessions, and offer a variety of classes as well as reiki certification. It’s a true honor to be able to help folks through challenging times or to simply relax through reiki and meditation. I’ve always said what could have been the worst thing to happen — getting cancer — turned out to be the best! Being open to trying reiki during a difficult time and truly seeing the difference made me realize the importance of paying it forward to help someone else.

What have the last five years been like for you at work here?
I think “a hurricane at warp speed” pretty well describes it. I truly enjoy my position and work with some amazing folks! Being part of the physical and technological growth of North Shore Bank is exciting. No two days are the same, and each provides a wonderful opportunity to learn something new. I’m also lucky to be able to share reiki and meditation with co-workers. It’s an honor to be able to bring a little bit of calm to a busy day. I can’t wait to be able to do that again when we’re all back in the office.

Any big plans for the next five years?
I just plan on enjoying each day. Hopefully, I am able to do a little random act of kindness for someone and make their day a little better, especially now.