If I can, you can.

I stared death in the face. Quite literally. I faced the kind of adversity that thankfully most will never have to endure. And when I was damaged beyond repair, I found a job, worked hard, met the love of my life, and made a life for myself.
This is MY story of resilience.

The endurance

Diagnosed with 2 leukemias on my 10th birthday, like the proverbial metaphoric rise to fame, mine was a metaphoric downward spiral into years of chemo, full body irradiation, surgeries, spinal taps, blood & platelet transfusions, months in isolation, bone marrow transplantation and a daily dance with pain and suffering.
Then, just when I thought I was home-free, there it was - the death sentence. Malignant Peripheral Nerve Sheath Tumour. How many years would I get? How much of that time would be full of unmanageable, untreatable pain? Would I get to own a home, get married, have a family?

The insight

I came up against some harsh realities in my 23 years of life. If I could say one thing that might make a difference for someone my age struggling with life, I'd quote Justin Herald and say..."it's not whether you get knocked down, it's whether you get back up". Get back up, make the most of what you've got, don't waste your time on worrying about what others think or what others expect from you. You'll live much longer than me - if you're 24 you already have - don't scream, don't pose, don't demand attention - just get on with life, push past those harsh realities, ignore the critics, and fully engage with what's right for YOU right here, right now.

The transformation

My Mum helped me build the resilience I needed to get me through the years of adversity I faced. This world isn't easy sometimes, but she taught me - don't just survive it - own it. So I did. I loved working in aged care - some of those people needed more than just a carer, believe me! I fell in love and got to experience a love like no other. I saved a deposit for a house. I bounced back from one health catastrophe to another, I learned to deal with the stress without collapsing, and I stayed true to myself even during the fails, the letdowns and the uncertainty. Purpose increases resilience and resilient people say "I can handle this". With my Mum's guidance I learned to say "I can handle this". And I did. With grace and resilience.
Ben Osborn 06-05-1996 - 19-03-2020