A mission of kindess: #BeccaToldMeTo campaign continues to grow
What at first was a simple wish to inspire others has turned into a global movement.
Becca Schofield, 17, learned in December that she is terminally ill. She has two inoperable brain tumours and has been given just months to live.
But not only is she continuing to fight for her life, she keeps trying to inspire others. Since receiving the heartbreaking news about her disease, she has been asking people to do something kind for someone else, then share it on social media.
"I've always known that people have this kindness within them," said the Riverview teen.
"It's a lot easier to teach kindness than it is to teach hate."
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Her campaign, with the hashtag #BeccaToldMeTo, has become a sensation. Even Prime Minister Justin Trudeau took note of Becca's kindness in a message on Twitter.
"Kindness and positivity, they're a choice and it's not a choice you make once," she said.
Businesses across New Brunswick have also been inspired, including J.D.Irving, Limited, which donated $5,000 to Becca and her family.
"To know that these people are making that choice daily over and over and they're doing it because I have inspired them to do that, it's fantastic," she said.
Becca was recently recognized by the New Brunswick legislature.
Speaker Chris Collins, whose own son died from cancer at 13, said he sees his son's courage in Becca.
"She has a huge heart," Collins said."Her love for people, her love for life, her strong social conscience — these are all things that are very special about her."
But the journey hasn't been easy.
The brain cancer zaps Becca's energy, making it difficult to walk. Most of the time she needs a wheelchair to get around, and she keeps a bucket on her lap in case she gets sick.
But she's proving that kindness can be a good medicine.
"You just focus on the good days and breathe through the bad ones," said Becca's mom, Anne Schofield.
The teen confessed she is afraid about the future and about dying.
"Sometimes I think about it too much and I do get scared. It's about a fear of the unknown."
But Becca said she doesn't want her fears to get in the way of her journey.
"Positivity is a choice," she said.
