Each Day Is A Gift, Not A Given Right’: Dying 27-Year-Old Woman’s Heartbreaking Letter Goes Viral

By Fattima Mahdi Truth Theory

We all know that we are going to die one day, but we don’t always live as if is this is the case. Some of us take life for granted, we put off things that we need to do, adamant that we will ‘get round to it’ later. In a moving letter, a dying 27-year-old woman reminds us just how precious our time is and encourages us all to live life to the fullest.

Holly Butcher, who suffered from a rare form of cancer called Ewing’s sarcoma asked her family to post her final reflections about living a full life on Facebook. Sadly, Holly passed away on January 4th 2018, since then her heartbreaking letter has been shared over 100,000 times.

“It’s a strange thing to realise and accept your mortality at 26 years young” she wrote “It’s just one of those things you ignore. The days tick by and you just expect they will keep on coming; Until the unexpected happens.”

Holly advises readers to be grateful, “those times you are whinging about ridiculous things (something I have noticed so much these past few months), just think about someone who is really facing a problem. “Be grateful for your minor issue and get over it. It’s okay to acknowledge that something is annoying but try not to carry on about it and negatively affect other people’s days.”

Holly realised what truly mattered when she discovered how little time she had left. “I swear you will not be thinking of those things when it is your turn to go. It is all SO insignificant when you look at life as a whole. I’m watching my body waste away right before my eyes with nothing I can do about it and all I wish for now is that I could have just one more Birthday or Christmas with my family, or just one more day with my partner and dog. Just one more.”

“I hear people complaining about how terrible work is or about how hard it is to exercise – Be grateful you are physically able to. Work and exercise may seem like such trivial things … until your body doesn’t allow you to do either of them.”

“I tried to live a healthy life, in fact, that was probably my major passion. Appreciate your good health and functioning body- even if it isn’t your ideal size. Look after it and embrace how amazing it is. Move it and nourish it with fresh food. Don’t obsess over it.”

Finally, Butcher signed off the touching note by asking everyone to donate blood.

“Blood donation … helped keep me alive for an extra year – a year I will be forever grateful that I got to spend it here on earth with my family, friends and dog. A year I had some of the greatest times of my life.”

Holly’s final advice in her open letter is a deafening alarm bell that we should all appreciate what we have and cherish every waking moment. Remember, “each day is a gift, not a given right.”

Read Holly’s Full Post Here

Read more: 5 Deathbed Regrets You Can Avoid If You Make Changes In Your Life Today

Written by: Fattima Mahdi

Fattima Mahdi is a author, mentor, lyricist and professional roller-skater. She uses both her love for writing and music to address socio-political issues prevalent in society today. She is also the proud author of Love Don’t Come Easy. Read More stories by Fattima Mahdi