It’s been over two months now since Rosie Kilburn died. There’s a Facebook page dedicated to her memory, and her blog, of course, continued by her parents to keep on raising awareness & cash for cancer causes across the UK. Right now there are teenagers all over the country facing the same painful uncertain future that Rosie squared up to. A few may share her courage, but most may be terrified this Christmas. Rosie’s story should be for them. Seeing her strength, even with an awareness of how her story ends, could help inspire the same belief she had - the belief that, regardless of the odds, you can beat this relentless disease just by the way you live, day to day.
To this end, I’ve tried to source most of the television reports on Rosie broadcast by the BBC. I hope that the small sample of Rosie’s positivity shining through these snapshots of her life helps someone, somewhere, choose the path she chose: Always a Survivor, never a ‘sufferer’.
This time last year I asked you all to head along to The Knock On Effect shop for great Xmas card/gift ideas, and I’m repeating that appeal today. Every penny will go to helping young people cope with critical illness. I lost my best friend to Cancer, and I’ll be donating in her memory. Hers and Rosie’s.
Seasons greetings to everyone at ‘Team Kilburn’, and all my best wishes for 2012.