What would you do if you were told you had just a few months to live? I’m not sure any of us really know that answer. We may think we do but our lives are simply too busy to think about such morbid thoughts, until we are faced with such a moment.

We all rush through life as if  it is a race, a place where someone wins and yet life isn’t about any of that. It is the moments with ones we love, the beauty all around us and in finding joy in the things that matter.

That is the choice that Brittany Maynard made when she was diagnosed with terminal brain cancer. She chose to live and to choose the day of her death as well. Her story and her message is as much about life as it is about death.

There isn’t much to say that hasn’t been said right here but when you see something like this story, it causes you to pause, to cry and to shift. With treatment, the disease’s median survival time is around 14 months, meaning that half of those live for longer than 14, and half live for less. Brittany was given six months. Doctors explained that her death would be slow and painful as her tumor grew — a worsening progression of headaches, nausea, vomiting, weakness, and seizures. Brittany wanted to use this a starting point for a conversation, she did that with The BrittanyFund.org

As she said, “Seize the day, the world is a beautiful place, travel has been my greatest teacher, my close friends and folks are the greatest givers. I even have a ring of support around my bed as I type … Goodbye world. Spread good energy. Pay it forward!”

Brittany chose to live her life on her terms, to use her experience to help others understand and to live like she was dying. Godspeed Brittany.

Charity Matters.

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