Jake Bailey has vowed to use his experiences in beating cancer to help other young people. The Christchurch Boys High School senior monitor whose heart-wrenching speech to his peers after he was diagnosed with cancer went global has spoken publicly today for the first time.
The teen whose words of wisdom following a cancer diagnosis went global has signed a book deal.
Jake Bailey captured hearts after he delivered his Christchurch Boys' High School head boy speech days after being diagnosed with Burkitt's non-Hodgkin's lymphoma and being told he had three weeks to livewithout treatment.
He told fellow pupils to "be great, be gracious, and be grateful for the opportunities you have", footage of which went global.
Bailey gives a speech at the school prizegiving following chemotherapy for cancer. Photo / via YouTube
In the year since Bailey has spoken to Tour de Cure Australia Snow Ball in Sydney, won Massey University's 2015 Quote of the Year and, in January, shared news his cancer was in remission.
In a post to his Facebook page yesterday, Bailey said he was working with Penguin Books NZ on a book about the previous year.
"It's hard for me not to be immediately drawn to looking over all which has happened in the time since then ... my diagnosis, treatment, recovery, and an honest account of everything in between."
The book would be on shelves in May next year.
He has also signed with Celebrity Speakers NZ, and will represent charity Māia Health Foundation at New Zealand Cup and Show Week, he wrote.
Bailey after giving an inspirational speech at the Tour De Cure Snow Ball in Sydney in June, with Australian TV personality David Koch. Photo / Supplied
"Thank you for your ongoing support and kind messages - they have absolutely been the defining factor of the past 365 days and everything within it, and I'm so grateful for that."
