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Family shares emotional story behind dying woman's viral letter

On Oct. 31, 2016, Holly's world was turned upside down when she was diagnosed with Ewing sarcoma, a rare but aggressive form of cancer that affects the bones.
Holly Butcher with her boyfriend, Luke Ashley-Cooper. (Photo: COURTESY OF THE FAMILY)

"It’s a strange thing to realize and accept your mortality at 26 years young. 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. I always imagined myself growing old, wrinkled and gray- most likely caused by the beautiful family (lots of kiddies) I planned on building with the love of my life. I want that so bad it hurts.

That’s the thing about life; it is fragile, precious and unpredictable and each day is a gift, not a given right.

I’m 27 now. I don’t want to go. I love my life. I am happy.. I owe that to my loved ones. But the control is out of my hands."

Holly Butcher, who lived in Australia, wrote these words shortly before cancer took her life on Jan. 4.

On Oct. 31, 2016, Holly's world was turned upside down when she was diagnosed with Ewing sarcoma, a rare but aggressive form of cancer that affects the bones.

According to her brother, Dean Butcher, Holly began experiencing symptoms in the months leading up to her diagnosis.

"She had an aching knee," he says, "whenever she exercised or drank alcohol at all. While Holly did seek medical attention initially, there was a period of months between when they first appeared and when she was diagnosed because her symptoms always seemed to resolve themselves."

When Holly insisted on more testing, she got the news that rocked her to the core.

The family was shell-shocked.

"She embodied good health," Dean explains. "As a dietitian, she ate all the right foods, she exercised regularly and didn't drink much alcohol. But that's the thing about cancer ... it's non-discriminatory."

Holly was diagnosed with stage 4 cancer, meaning it has already spread throughout her body - and the prognosis was grim.

"But she didn't let it get the best of her," Dean says. "Despite the immense pain she was in, there was always something she looked forward to ... throughout the whole ordeal, she was just so tough and resilient."

Holly, who was in a relationship for five years with Luke Ashley-Cooper, showed that resiliency in the letter she wrote before dying - and it's been circulating around the world.

"I just want people to stop worrying so much about the small, meaningless stresses in life and try to remember that we all have the same fate after it all so do what you can to make your time feel worthy and great, minus the bull s***," she shares. "You might have got caught in bad traffic today, or had a bad sleep because your beautiful babies kept you awake, or your hairdresser cut your hair too short. Your new fake nails might have got a chip, your boobs are too small, or you have cellulite on your (behind) and your belly is wobbling ... let all that s*** go ... 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."

Dean, who's amazed by the fact that his sister's letter has been seen by millions in just a few days, couldn't be more proud of the impact she's making.

"Holly's personality would light up the room and make you forget, for a few small moments, about the disease that ravaged inside her," he says. "We will always admire her for that."

Dean goes on to explain that, in the weeks before Holly's death, he asked if she had any dreams that he could work toward on her behalf.

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"She happily replied, 'No. I was going to live a simple life. I didn't have big plans. I just wanted to live happily.' Those were her exact words because I recorded the conversation so I could listen to her voice afterward. It is therefore incredibly ironic, that a woman content with life’s simplicities ... has had such a huge impact. She left us with a powerful message that has resonated with people from all walks of life and from all corners of the globe. That will always be her legacy."

To read Holly's entire letter, visit her Facebook page.

This story originally appeared on the Daily Advertiser site.

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