Jak Trueman, Teen With Terminal Cancer, Fulfills Dying Wish To Take Girlfriend To School Prom
Jak Trueman, a courageous 15-year-old with terminal cancer and only a short time to live, was able to fulfill his dying wish to take his girlfriend to the school prom. Trueman has amazed everyone with his display of exemplary courage in the face of adversity.
Trueman is terminally ill with T-Cell Lymphoma diagnosed last August. He made a dying wish to take his girlfriend Hannah Boyd, 14, to the school prom. The two have been dating for nearly two years.
Nearly 200 teachers and classmates at Mid Calder High in West Lothian, Scotland, applauded when Trueman attended the school prom at Livingston Football Club on Saturday with his girlfriend, fulfilling his dying wish.
Trueman was able to attend the prom despite being weak from illness. Doctors had to place him on pain-killers.
The school authorities moved the prom date forward to honor Trueman and his girlfriend after doctors told him he was dying.
The teenager expressed the dying wish to attend the school prom with his girlfriend. He also took the decision to spend the rest of his life fundraising for cancer charity. He vowed to raise £33,000 (about $50,000) in less than a week.
His mother Alison, 44, a school teacher, said the family has not given up hope but was living “minute by minute, hour by hour.”
“We will just take it minute by minute hour by hour. The prom was about my boy and Hannah. He managed to make the evening for 10 minutes through wonderful courage and determination.”
“Jak and Hannah are exceptionally close and I think it is absolutely magical that the school brought the prom forward… It’s fabulous that they have managed to organize it at such short notice.”
After doctors diagnosed that Trueman was ill with a rare form of blood cancer called Gammadelta T-cell lymphoma, he was placed on chemotherapy in the hope of a cure. But subsequent tests showed that the cancer had spread in his bones, reached vital organs of his body and gone beyond cure.
When doctors told Jak and his family that there was nothing more they could do to help, the family decided to end treatment, and Jak thought that a useful way to spend the rest of his life was to start a campaign to raise £33,000 (about $50,000) for cancer research.
“There’s no point moping about – I want to make every moment count. I just want to make other people happy. I don’t want anyone else to have to go through what we have as a family. It has been very, very difficult for everyone.”
Breaking the bad news from his doctors to his Facebook followers, the brave youth apologized for having to “give everyone this horrible news,” saying there was “no other way to put it.”
“Worst-case scenario has happened. I have been preparing myself for this answer all day although it still came hard to take. My very experienced Doctors and Professors have looked at the PET scan from today and the disease has spread into all my bones and organs. They have decided not to go any further with any more treatment. I am so sorry to give everyone this horrible news but there’s no other way to put it.”
With the help of supporters worldwide, the youth was able to raise more than $50,000 in less than a week.
“A phenomenal amount for my phenomenal boy — making things a little easier knowing others will benefit.”
Trueman also hopes to raise cash to establish a charity called “Team Jak” that would provide support to young people fighting cancer.
The Rangers Football Club fan and a goalkeeper with Mid Calder under-16 team, was honored by thousands of soccer fans who chanted his name with applause at the Scottish League Cup semi-final between Celtic and Rangers at the Hampden ground in Glasgow. Trueman had wanted to attend the game, but he was too weak from illness to make the journey.
Trueman’s fundraising campaign has been able to raise more than £35,000 (about $52,500) from nearly 2,100 donations. You may support his effort to raise cash for Leukemia and Lymphoma Research by making a donation here.
[Images: Facebook]
