Today my friends daughter died. She had Leukaemia for 10 of her 12 years and sadly after numerous bone marrow transplants and much chemotherapy, she passed away.
In her short life though, she lived more between treatments than any person I know. She swam with Dolphins, road fast river boats up the Thames, attended concerts, sang, danced and travelled all over the world, went to school, and always did her best.
On joining her new Secondary school, she was waiting for a friend outside the girls loo when an older boy came up to her and said "wrong one mate, boys loo is over there". She thanked him and smiled to herself. Chemo had left her with little hair (just fuzz really) and in trousers, she probably looked boyish. When asked when she hadn't said anything, she replied " I didn't want to upset him". That was her all over; always thinking of others.
In tutorials, I've occasionally spoken of her to students; encouraging them to consider being a Bone Marrow donor but mostly to try and inspire them. Some responded, others shuffled awkwardly in their seats.
If someone with so many mountains to climb, so much to contend with can still put other people first, be a high achiever, inspired other people to donate thousands of pounds to cancer charities and do her homework, surely they can deal with the trauma of getting out of bed and taking a Functional Skills exam?
What she taught me more than anything was that it is attitude and personality that counts. Do everything with your whole heart, love everything about your life no matter how difficult it is, think about others, experience everything you can when it is offered you.
She ran ahead of life, grabbing every chance with both hands and rugby tackling it to the ground with a huge smile on her face.
If our students with their Facebook friend worries, moans about lack of 'designer clothes', disgruntled faces when asked to do a bit of research on a topic had one millionth of her spunk, we'd have a nation of the highest achievers imaginable.
I never would want any of them to face the adversity she did, but if at 12 years old a girl can exhibit so much life, spunkiness, bravery and curiousity about every single thing, who dreamed of being an Oceanographer, loved her dog, made the most of every single opportunity and when one wasn't there, went looking for it or made one happen; why can't some of our spoon fed students?
Having seen just how incredible a determined 12 year old can be; how much she can achieve; how do I translate that into lessons that will inspire the students?
There must be a way?
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