Love Your Sister, love this book! My brother gave me this book for my birthday and it has been one of those life changing reads that will stay with me forever.
This book is co- written by brother and sister team Connie and Samuel Johnson, after Samuel embarked on and finished the longest unicycle ride in the world around Australia to raise awareness 'Don't fall into the booby trap' and funds (over $1.8 million raised) for breast cancer. At the age of 33, sister Connie was diagnosed with terminal breast cancer. This was Connie's third cancer diagnosis, after being diagnosed with cancer at age 12 and 22.
Connie herself talks about going through her childhood friend she met in the hospital dying, her struggle with bullying at school while going through chemo and losing her hair, and now her worry for her children's future - Connie and Samuel's mother committed suicide when they were very young, so they have very little memory of her- will Connie's children grow up knowing anything about their mother?
Although there were times I had to put this book down and have a break, as the writing is extremely honest and really tears at your heartstrings, it is also one of the most uplifting and inspiring stories I have ever heard. What inspired me so much about this story was how this huge campaign changed Connie's life, and how she changed Sam's. Sam's zest for life was re- discovered while doing this unicycle ride. As a celebrity (I watched him on the Secret Life of Us as a teenager), he previously struggled to trust people, often feeling people were just after his money, and became deeply unhappy, also dealing with loss and suffering from bipolar disorder.
Connie asked Sam for the biggest favour of his/her life. To ride a unicycle for over 100km every day for a year, then each evening attended fund raising events in over 150 towns around the country. He ticked things off Connie's bucket list on the way, and partook in dares to raise money such as eating a live huntsman spider, to dressing up in an outfit specifically from Fyshwick in Canberra (woohoo Canberra!). Although Sam was himself left poor after the 3 years total of unemployment and full-time devotion to the Love Your Sister campaign, after meeting so many generous, everyday people and experiencing countless priceless moments, he spent many a night on the road wondering how he deserved such riches.
In Sam's words: 'This is about life, it's about finding meaning in the madness, it's about making something positive out of something negative, it's a happy story.'
I love this book, I love this story. I urge you to read it. It has inspired me to register as a volunteer for Camp Quality. Connie spoke in the book about how much she appreciated being able to go to these camps when she was younger, as she felt safe in the knowledge that the other kids at the camps understood and accepted her illness. I can't wait to hopefully be a part of brightening some young lives just a little with 'Fun therapy'.
To register as a volunteer, visit the website: http://www.campquality.org.au/public/how-you-can-help/volunteer.aspx
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