Young cancer patient Becca tells us what to do: be kind to someone - Action News
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New Brunswick

Young cancer patient Becca tells us what to do: be kind to someone

Riverview teen Becca Schofield has been fighting cancer for nearly two years, and despite recent bad news, has taken on a new campaign: to persuade people everywhere to perform an act of kindness.

Becca Schofield of Riverview hopes to see #BeccaToldMeTo trending on Twitter

Becca Schofield, a 17-year-old with terminal brain cancer, is asking people to do something kind for someone else, then share it on social media. (GoFundMe)

Riverview teen Becca Schofield has been fighting cancer for nearly two years, and despite recent bad news, has taken on a new campaign: to persuade people everywhere to perform anact of kindness.

The 17-year-old received the devastating news earlier this month that there are new tumours, and shebeganmaking a list of things she wants to do. Doctors say Becca has between three months and a year to live.
A woman standing behind a teen girl in a wheelchair
Anne Schofield, seen here with Becca at the 2015 Tree of Hope on CBC's Information Morning Moncton, said her family will spend Becca's remaining time together. (Karin Reid-LeBlanc/CBC)

"We are crushed beyond imagination that our beautiful strong super hero will not win her battle with this horrible disease," her mother, Anne Schofield,wrote on her GoFundMe campaign page.

"[Becca] is writing a bucket list and we plan to help her fill as many wishes as we can."

Already onthelist isBecca'sgoal of creating"a mass act of kindness."

"It can be as big or as small as you'd like,"Beccasaid on Twitter. "Donate to charity, volunteer your time, or even just do the dishes without your parents asking.

"Do something to make someone smile and then tweet what you did under the hashtag #BeccaToldMeTo."

She hopes the hashtag willtrend worldwide.

Hundreds of people are already posting about their good deeds in honour of Schofield, and Riverview Coun. Tammy Rampersaudcalls Becca"our own personal Santa."

"I think inside of each one of us we want to do good ... so people are doing small things for others, and they're doing big things all in Becca's name and it's beautiful."

Rampersaud said she read about someone dropping off two large cakes to a nurses station at the hospital with #BeccaToldMeTowritten in icing on top.

"What she has asked folks to do it seems like something so small but it's not," RampersaudtoldInformation MorningMoncton. "We're all doing it in her name but I think she's a genius.

"What that's giving us is just incredible joy ... and then there are recipients, too, so I think she knew what she was doing when she asked this, and she's given us something really special."

People now giving back toSchofields

Rampersaud said it's hard to imagine what Becca and her family are going through and calls them "incredible people" for sharing their story.

Many people in Riverview are trying to give back to the Schofields, raising moneyto allow the familyto spend Becca's final months together without financial worries.

Anne Schofield said she andher husband are taking leave from their jobs, while their other daughter is taking her next semester off.

"We will take every day as the gift that it is and fill it with love and laughter," Anne wrote.

Rampersaud said there have been charity hockey games and 50/50 draws that have raised thousands of dollars this week alone.

"What she's put out there for all of us, it's a big lesson for usand I think it will stay with us for a long time," she said.

"I think we'll continue to do good in her name because it feels good, it feels good to get, but it feels so good to give. So I think that Becca will live on for a long time in each oneof us."

with files from Information Morning Moncton