Today 130 young men had the opportunity to hear former Christchurch Boys’ High School Head Prefect, Jake Bailey, present at the Convention Centre in Palmerston North. Jake was speaking as part of the ‘Icons’ speaker series sponsored by the Rotary Club of Palmerston North. Jake rose to prominence in late 2015 when he courageously presented the Head Prefects address at the Christchurch Boys’ High School Prizegiving from his wheelchair, having been diagnosed with Burkitt’s non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma a week earlier. The video of Jake’s speech has subsequently been viewed more than 15 million times and he made headlines around the world. Jake is now in remission and living on the Gold Coast in Australia.
Jake is a prime example of someone who has been defined by their positive and courageous response to incredibly difficult and trying circumstances. His message was about the significance of embracing each day for what it brings. Jake talked about the importance of longer term planning, but stressed that this must not get in the way of appreciating the here and now.
Jake explained that on many occasions he had to search hard to find the little bits of light in the darkness that surrounded him as he fought his cancer. He found that by embracing the positives in the small things it made the big positives, when they came along, even more exciting.
Jake asked the audience to think about the worst thing they had experienced and then asked them to put it into perspective: have others experienced worse and managed to come out on the other side? He explained that even in his worst moments following his diagnosis and during his treatment, he always kept perspective by remembering that many others had experienced far worse than he had, yet they had got through it and carried on with their lives.
Jake explained that “people admire you for going through the tough times with your head held high.” He urged the audience not to slip back into their old lives when they left and instead “live each day with passion and pride to the very fullest.” His final message was to appreciate life and appreciate the small things.
During the Q and A session which followed his presentation, Jake was asked whether or not, if he could, he would go back in time and change what happened to him. He responded that he would not change anything because of the appreciation for life that his experiences have given him.
In 2015 Jake won the national quote of the year competition for one of the lines from his speech: “None of us get out of life alive, so be gallant, great, gracious and be grateful for the opportunities that you have.” Sage words indeed.
