THE name Stephen Sutton may not ring a bell to most fellow citizens.
Stephen was a British blogger and charity activist known for his blog
"Stephen's Story" and his Teenage Cancer Trust charity for the aid of
teenagers with cancer.
Stephen,
from Burntwood in Staffordshire, England, was first diagnosed with
bowel cancer aged 15, and was told in December 2012 that his condition
was incurable.
Stephen passed away peacefully in his sleep in the early hours of Wednesday May 14, 2014 aged 19.
The most amazing thing about Stephen's story is how this young man courageously faced his illness.
Sutton, who initially set himself a target of trying to raise £10000
for the Teenage Cancer Trust, raised more than £3m for charity after his
story was publicised.
Hundreds of thousands of people around
the world have supported his fundraising efforts for the Teenage Cancer
Trust since he posted a picture of himself in hospital in April with a
goodbye message as he thought he was nearing death. Among them was Prime
Minister David Cameron.
Stephen did not only manage to
inspire a nation to donate to a good cause but also made millions of
people around the world to appreciate and make the most of their lives,
to be positive and brave in the face of adversity.
This young
man also taught the world that life isn't about how long we are here but
what we do with the time that we get. Whilst his life was far too
short, he achieved some tremendous goals than most of us can achieve in a
dozen lifetimes.
What an amazing person this young lad was. He
was indeed a true inspiration and if more people had his wonderful
attitude to life, then this world would be an infinitely better place.
Stephen has done so much to help with the fight against cancer and to
bring to the attention of so many people, young and old that this
disease has no respect for age, gender or creed.
His attitude
towards his life and his illness has inspired not just me, but many,
many people around the world to look at their lives in a different way.
The courage and grace shown by this young man in the face of a battle
he knew he was never gonna win is inspiring and should both give hope to
those in need and bring shame to those of us who are forever
complaining about our lot in life.
To Stephen I say, thank you
for making such an impact and for being you. You were, are and will
continue to be an inspiration to millions.
You'll always be remembered as a brilliant human being and a complete and utter legend who made a difference.
May Stephen's gentle soul rest in peace and his family be comforted in
the knowledge that he has truly made a difference to this world.
To you the reader I say, Stephens race is run but we must continue in
the hope that just a little of his strength and generosity rubs off on
us all so that we can learn to help others as he has done.
Perhaps then we might all leave behind a small addition to Stephen's wonderful legacy.
Rest in peace Stephen, your legacy will be carried on by those who have been inspired by your story.
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