-I was a football player,
or soccer. I started
when I was around 4 years old, and I played quite seriously
in my early teens, and I made the regional
in Namibia. While at university,
almost every day, I'd run over and just play
five-a-side in this net. I started feeling a little
uncomfortable at the knee. There was issues with movement. Eventually, it got worse, and I went and checked
with a family doctor, and they did an ultrasound
that showed that I had a tumor. And the biopsy results showed
that I had cancer. My name is a Christopher Aiff. I'm 21 years old, and
I'm living with osteosarcoma. Doctors say I have six months
to two years left to live, but, really, they have no idea. Family is so key. My sister is truly
the most amazing person I know. We're very much friends beyond any family obligation
that we have to one another. -He's almost my backbone. Everything that I really want to
do and accomplish, my dreams, he's what makes me
want to do them. -The diagnosis hasn't, in any
way, warped the relationship. The cancer, in a weird way,
has given us the platform to explore that further together
and travel the world and do things that most people
don't get the chance to do. It's just sad that the cost
for that is so high. Statistically,
I could've won the lottery. I just happened to be on
the flip side of that spectrum. Strange. I thought that I
wouldn't be able to handle it once they told me. And as soon as the words
came out of his mouth -- "You have osteosarcoma" -- I was like,
"Okay. It's on. I got you." I was just going to be
the best patient there was. I did nine cycles
of chemotherapy and one surgery to remove the sarcoma
from my knee. I was told
that I was cancer-free in January this year. Three months thereafter,
I had my first follow-up scan. What was once three small spots
in my lungs was now around 40 or 50
small tumors between both. I was told that... ...hope for eradicating
the illness had passed. And so the focus
was now on buying time. -Watching him go through chemo and being
completely powerless... If it wasn't the nausea, then it was the restlessness
and the insomnia. And the last round of the chemo, he said,
"Mom, I don't want to do it." And I said,
"Okay, we won't do it." -You know, I had felt
what I think death feels like. And I wasn't willing to risk
a life to go back to that place, snot for any treatment. It was decided by myself
and supported by my family that we should --
you know what? -- identify the things
that are most important to me and create a bucket list
and just do them. -I realize that other people are probably asking
the same question, "How can you, when you know
you have limited time with him, let him go? How?" But he's -- I want him to be
doing his bucket list. How can I not let him go? -I think, as a parent, there can be no
greater sacrifice than that. And if I could ask for anything,
that would be that. And, you know, a cure for cancer
on the side could be nice, but... [ Intro to Ruby Summer's
"Mermaids & Poets" plays ] - [music] Good morning, world,
it's nice to wake up to [music] [music] Another beautiful,
blue-skied day [music] [music] The boys are still asleep
in their drug rugs [music] [music] We played our music
way too late [music] [music] I'm gonna run down
and jump in the ocean [music] -Whoo-hoo! [music] I love the feel of the salt
on my skin [music] [music] And we've been living
in this house all summer [music] [music] Loved every minute... [music] -I've been traveling
for close to four months now. This is our ninth country, and every day
since I made that decision has reinforced and validated it. You know, we haven't paid a dime
wherever we've lived. It's all been with friends
and family, and it's all been love-focused
and friendship-focused. Hi.
-Morning. -We wanted to get something
that was for the two of us, including our travels,
basically. -It's just, like,
such a perfect symbol that is indigenous and authentic to Southern Africa and Namibia,
specifically. Excited? -Very excited. -Oh, it's good someone
is finally doing that for her. [ Laughter ] -You know, I loved him
and appreciated him, you know,
throughout our entire lives, and I've learned so much
from him. But the past few months,
and when you start thinking, you almost prepare yourself
for a funeral, you know? And what will life be like
when he's not around? And I -- I
started to realize how... ...how he's --
he lives within me. I don't know how to explain
how excited I am. [ Laughs ]
-I'm doing good. While I'm sad that perhaps
I may not get the chance to experience love
in any romantic capacity, I have loved and been loved more than most people will ever
in their lifetime. And of that, I have no doubt. -[ Laughs ] It's so cool.
[ Laughs ] -And I'm glad we got them
in the same places. -I don't think
that Dad can be angry. I have no idea
how I'm gonna do anything. -I will love my family, always. I would never lose sight of -- of what they did for me
during this time... and for what this time... and this illness... has brought to our family. It would be amazing if... I could...use that gratitude
and that reference point and that perspective
still in this life. And if by some chance... the world does not feel it is
necessary to terminate my life, to get that message across, I
would be greatly appreciative. The decision to be positive
is not one that disregards or belittles
the sadness that exists. It is, rather, a conscious
choice to focus on the good and to cultivate happiness
and genuine happiness. Happiness
is not a limited resource. And when we devote our energy
and time to trivial matters and choose to stress over things that
ultimately are insignificant, from that point,
we perpetuate our own sadness, and we lose sight of the things
that really make us happy and rationalize our way out
of doing amazing things. Dying doesn't need to be
a bad thing. It is, in fact,
a necessary thing. I want to be remembered as... someone who... did their best.
Meh, since most of us aren't guaranteed to keel over and die in a few months it makes sense for us to be financially conservative and not blow all our assets on simple pleasures and "live life to the fullest" but rather to save in the event one of our children gets cancer like that young man.
I just learnt to appreciate life that much more from this guy. * Tear Shed*
"The decision to be positive is not one that disregards or belittles the sadness that exists, it is rather a conscious choice to focus on the good, and to cultivate happiness."
So simply, a clearly put. Brilliant video, brilliant man.
Thank god my officemate isn't here today. Would have to put up with me sniffling.
SOMEONE CURE CANCER!!!!!NOWWWW!!!!!!
This always scares the crap out of me, i'm 21 years old and for all i know could have cancer and would miss my shot to do something like him if i didn't find out soon enough.
Those are some serious words of wisdom in the end.
I can't be crying at work damnit!
My office is littered with onions ... but .. I just, I can't cry. His courage, his wisdom ... I can't.
In the context of human society, happiness is a limited resource. It's even more scarce when one knows he has less time. I not only admire this young gentleman for his strength and bravery, but shed a tear for the love he inspires, the appreciation he shares, and a smile that defines the resilience of the human spirit.
Unbelievable. And fuck you cancer, you scum.