What the Internet has done for me...
The internet has changed many things - how we communicate, how we gather information and how we interact. It has also changed the face of charity. Like many of you, I am on Twitter. One year ago it was recommended to me that I follow an 11 year old called Harry Moseley. Twitter comes in for a lot of criticism, some of it is deserved but had it not been for Twitter I would never have learned of Harry Moseley and his story. His story, that was unfolding on Twitter, read like this...
Four years ago a 7 year old boy named Harry Moseley complained of problems with his eyes. The doctor recommended an MRI scan. The results were shared with Harry and at the tender age of 7 Harry was told that he had an inoperable Brain Tumour. He had, what we know as, terminal brain cancer.
Treatment began and Harry started on a course of chemotherapy. The most common side effects of chemotherapy are decreased production of blood cells, inflammation of the lining of the digestive tract, and alopecia – hair loss. Harry was only 7 years old.
The chemotherapy did not work so at the age of 9 Harry had to undergo an intense course of Radiotherapy. Side effects of Radiotherapy include severe skin damage such as burning. Other side effects include mouth and throat sores, diarrhoea and nausea. Harry was only 9 years old.
When beginning his radiotherapy treatment Harry met a man named Robert, 55, who also tragically had an inoperable brain tumour. Now a child of 9 years, who had been diagnosed with something so shocking, whose body was being pumped with poison, Harry could be forgiven for feeling nothing but anger. He could be forgiven for feeling unbelievable sadness. However Harry Moseley was no ordinary 9 year old boy. He would not be pushed by his problems, instead he would be led by his dreams.
The day Harry met Robert was the day Harry found his purpose. In 2009 Robert grew steadily more ill, Harry felt compelled to help. Harry started to make and sell beaded bracelets to raise lots of money for brain cancer research to help make him better.
Sadly, four weeks into Harry’s campaign, his friend Robert, died aged just 55. Harry could no longer help Robert but he realised that he could help thousands of others that find themselves in Harry’s position. Steve Jobs once remarked that “Remembering you are going to die is the best way I know to avoid the trap of thinking you have something to lose. You are already naked. There is no reason not to follow your heart” and that is exactly what Harry did.
As I write, Harry has raised £500,000 for Brain Cancer Research.
Tragically Harry died 2 months ago. I was left feeling devastated. Harry is incredibly special to me. Someone asked me 'what's the deal with me doing this running thing given I've never met Harry?'. It's a fair question. My answer is pretty simple. I am a heart on your sleeve type of person - I cry at rubbish films, I like awful cheesy music and I get moved by things. But it is incredibly rare for me to get genuinely upset about real things, about real life. There have been four times in my life where my tears were real and where I could not stop myself. My granddad dying, my Nan dying, my friend dying - made up 3 of these moments. The 4th was when I saw a picture of Harry Moseley just after an operation he had had to remove part of a tumour that had grown in his brain. I vividly remember where I was. I was sitting on a bench, at a park, when I logged in to Twitter and saw Harry's mum had uploaded a picture. Harry's hair was missing, he looked in pain, he looked tired - he looked like he had cancer. He was only 11..
I had been following Harry's story for a year and was utterly overwhelmed by how someone so young, who was so ill, could be so utterly selfless. In quite a cynical world it is rare for someone to be selfless. Someone who doesn't do something for their own good but instead someone who just wants to help others. This was amazing to me but what made it more amazing was that Harry was suffering from terminal brain cancer at the time. Someone so ill was still so kind. I knew Harry had had his operation that night and it is rare for me to pray but that night I did. I prayed he wouldn't be in pain. And then I saw the picture.
I couldn't understand, and I still don't and I never will, why what happened happened to Harry. All I can do is try and learn from him. He started an incredible campaign that has raised £500,000 for Brain Cancer Research. To me it is simple - the more awareness, the more money that is raised, the fewer children have to suffer like Harry did. There should never be a picture uploaded like that picture I saw that day - I want to help, albeit in a small way, to help ensure that type of picture is never seen again. Helen Keller once remarked "I am only one; but still I am one. I cannot do everything, but still I can do something; I will not refuse to do the something I can do." And to me that is what charity is all about - I can't cure brain cancer but I can help. Even if that help amounts to very very little in the grand scheme of things - something is better than nothing. If everyone did something, anything can be achieved.
The internet is awesome. Many of you own startups, work for startups or just enjoy using their products. For me it has become so much more than that. Because of the internet I was inspired by a complete strager. I was inspired to try and run 406 miles. I am not a runner. I am a bit of a geek, I own two failed startups and it turns out my knee's are not great! So far, in 10 weeks I have run 114 miles. I have strained ankle ligaments and I have torn the cartillage in my knee but the runs continue - this Wednesday I will be running another 13 miles. I will be running in the cold, with a bad knee all because I followed a kid on Twitter.
Whenever people question the internet - and there are those that do - for me I now have an answer.
Harry is not alone in suffering this disease and losing his life at a young age. It is so important we raise money and raise awareness - Cancer Research UK are entirely self funded but since they have existed they have given cancer patients the chance to beat cancer. Cancer is an awful disease, it has killed two members of my family, and it has killed a friend of mine. The single greatest thing humanity can do, in my opinion, is to find a cure. To do that we need money. Harry, at the age of 7, realised this...
So I guess my post today is two fold. The first part is a reminder to you all how just how awesome the internet is. We are blessed to live in this age. Open yourself up to be inspired, we now have a medium that shows us on a daily basis how awesome people can be - don't ignore this, don't focus on the frailties of a site or question how the site is going to make money or why they've used a particular desgin. Focus instead on what that site can do for you. It could change your life. It could help you change the lives of others.
The second part to this is to make you guys aware of an amazing 11 year old boy. Unfortunately he won't be celebrating Christmas this year, lets make sure that no other child has to miss Christmas in the future. Go for a run, go tell someone about Harry, get on Twitter and follow someone inspiring rather than some Z List celebrity.
Have a great Christmas and New Year.
Steve www.justgiving.com/steven-whyley