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High School Students Honor Their Late Friend with Heartfelt Messages on Her Coffin
In a beautiful act of love, classmates of a high school student, who sadly lost her battle with cancer, came together to create a touching memorial. In Burlington, Canada, students collaborated with the grieving family of Emily Parker to personalize her coffin with loving messages.
Emily passed away from acute myeloid leukemia on January 20 after months of waiting for a stem cell transplant. She had previously overcome cancer four years earlier, but it resurfaced in May. Despite having several potential donors, a shortage of hospital beds delayed her much-needed treatment. In an interview with CTV News, Emily shared that she was 33rd on a waiting list for a hospital bed, with only a few spots available each month. Seeking treatment in the U.S. was not an option for her family due to the exorbitant costs, which would have exceeded $250,000.
While waiting, Emily had to undergo additional chemotherapy to keep her condition stable. She candidly expressed the harsh reality that many patients do not survive the wait. “Some people relapse in the wait, some die,” she explained. “It’s a heartbreaking situation.”
Emily’s family later shared on her Facebook page that although she achieved remission again, she relapsed in November 2015 due to the ongoing bed shortage. She was scheduled to receive treatment out of state, but complications delayed her trip, and she passed away shortly after. A classmate posted a photo of her decorated coffin on Imgur, stating, “A big part of why she died was due to long wait times for transplant patients.”
The image of the coffin adorned with heartfelt notes from her peers serves as both a poignant farewell and a reminder of the urgent need for improved access to medical care. In honor of Emily, her family is advocating for change to address what they refer to as “deadly wait times” for transplant patients and are encouraging donations in her memory to organizations like Coast to Coast, which fights childhood cancer. While turning Emily’s coffin into a meaningful tribute was a beautiful gesture, it’s a heart-wrenching reality that no family should have to face.
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In summary, the heartfelt tribute from Emily’s classmates highlights the urgent need for better access to medical treatments and the importance of community support in times of grief.