Christchurch teen Jake Bailey’s inspiring words – courageously delivered while he was undergoing cancer treatment – resonated with everyone who heard them, whether it was there at the Christchurch Boys’ High prizegiving or later, after the video had made its mark on YouTube.
The 18-year-old urged his fellow students to “Be gallant, be great, be gracious and be grateful,” a motto that has continued to shape Jake’s life.
Today, after enduring four rounds of chemotherapy, the teen is in remission – although he’ll continue to need follow-up treatments and tests for a while yet.
Jake credits his late grandmother Elaine Berry, who passed away in 2014 at the age of 73, for showing him how to meet the toughest situations head-on.
“My grandmother went through hardship, but she did it with her shoulders back,” Jake tells Woman’s Day.
“She was a strong woman who taught me a different perspective on life.”
For the full story on Jake’s inspiring journey, see this week’s Woman’s Day, on sale now.
