After my abject failure to write anything of any consequence yesterday I was determined to do better today. The topic is Home Sweet Home & I was sure that I could manage something on that topic.
Then the news broke of the death of Stephen Sutton. Stephen was diagnosed with terminal cancer in his late teens. Rather than wallow he decided to try & make a difference. Through social media Stephen raised over £3 million for Cancer Research & touched many lives with his humour, selfless attitude & thinking of others before himself. Today he lost the battle & passed away in his sleep aged only 19.
I think back to when I was that age. I was at college, having a ball by the seaside with my friends. I was totally self absorbed in the way that only teenagers can be. The world revolved around me & my life, what I wanted to do, my friends & our social life (there was a bit of study in there too!)
I was lucky. I was fit & healthy, able to live my life to the full, exploring the world & my place in it, growing as a person. I didn't have to face my own mortality or undergo traumatic medical treatment. I have no idea how I would have coped if that's what I'd faced. But I fear that I would have been wracked with self pity, feeling sorry for 'poor me', turning in on myself.
Stephen was not like that. He fought the cancer while thinking of others. He knew that for him there would be no cure. Yet he put his time & energy into raising awareness of cancer & the need for research. He used the tools available to him, namely social media, and got many people donating & thinking about cancer. His fund-raising effort was amazing & many people will benefit from the research that will be carried out in his name.
I hope everyone who donated to Stephen's appeal will make another donation in his memory in the next few days. It would be awesome to see that total soar.
I didn't know Stephen personally but his passing has bought a tear to my eye & made my heart a little heavier today. My thoughts are naturally with his loved ones at this difficult time. I'm also thinking about all the cancer sufferers who will benefit from Stephen's selfless spirit & fund-raising.
A truly inspirational young man who touched so many in his short life. RIP Stephen, the world is a poorer place without you.
No comments:
Post a Comment