Jake Bailey wasn’t expected to make it to his high school graduation on Wednesday.
A week prior, the 18-year-old was diagnosed with Burkitt non-Hodgkins lymphoma, an aggressive and rare form of cancer that is considered to be one of the fastest growing tumours. Without treatment, doctors said he had 3 weeks to live.
As senior monitor (a position akin to class president) of Christchurch Boys’ High School in New Zealand, Bailey was set to deliver a speech at the ceremony but doctors said he would have to miss it.
He almost did. According to headmaster Nic Hill, Bailey was so sick from his chemotherapy treatments that he vomited before and after his speech.
“I know how sick he is and I was amazed at how strongly he spoke,” said Hill.
Bailey’s speech struck a chord, not only with his classmates and teachers, but around the world. The full video of his speech has already been viewed over 280,000 times.
He said his diagnosis helped him put a new spin on the speech he had prepared as he spoke about strength of character and how to approach the future.
“Moral strength is about making a conscious decision to be a person who doesn’t give up, when it would be easy to,” said Bailey.
“None of us get out of life alive, so be gallant, be great, be gracious, be grateful for the opportunities you have.”
Bailey’s rousing speech stirred up some laughs and tears as he spoke with a new perspective on life.
“The future is truly in our hands. Forget about having long-term dreams. Let’s be passionately dedicated to the pursuit of short-term goals,” said Bailey. “We don’t know where we might end up. Or when it might end up.”
As he ended with the school motto “Altiora Peto,” meaning “I seek higher things” in Latin, his classmates honoured him with a spontaneous Haka – a war cry from the native Maori – and a group rendition of the school song.
Hill said that the whole community has been inspired by Jake’s leadership and courage through his illness, and said that his prognosis is good.
“The courage shown by Jake over the past few weeks has been an inspiration to the school, wider community and even internationally,” wrote Hill in a statement. “As my right hand man at school, I couldn’t have more respect for Jake as a leader and someone who has inspired people throughout the world.”
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