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Bailey was just 35 when she wrote her own obituary. This is what she wants you to know.

 

Having knowledge of your impending death is naturally an unsettling thought. So it’s no wonder that a obituary, self-written by a woman who chose to forgo her chemotherapy, has gone viral on the internet for its warmth and wisdom.

Published in her local newspaper, The Chronicle Herald, Bailey Matheson wrote her final goodbyes with a touching sense of humour and a profound sense of love for those who were part of her life.

“35 years may not seem long, but damn it was good!” the Canadian woman, who lost her two year battle with cancer on April 5th this year, began the obituary.

The tribute thanks those who supported her through the difficult decisions she made while sick, particularly her parents who she explains “gave me the greatest gift of supporting my decisions with not going through chemo”.

“I know how hard that must have been watching me stop treatment and letting nature take its course,” she says to her mum and dad.

Bailey continues by thanking her friends, who she shares were a “cherished” part of her life, even more so for the fact that she was an only child.

“I never thought I could love my friends more than I did but going through this and having your unconditional love and support you have made something that is normally so hard, more bearable and peaceful,” Bailey said.

obituary
Bailey thanked her friends in the self-written obituary, who she shares were a "cherished" part of her life. Image via Facebook.
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Her last expression of gratitude was to her partner, who she only met three months before she was diagnosed with the terminal illness.

"You had no idea what you were getting yourself into when you swiped right that day," she continued. "I couldn't have asked for a better man to be by my side for all the adventures, appointments, laughs, cries and breakdowns."

"You are an amazing person and anyone in your life is so fortunate to know you. I love you beyond words."

Bailey's parting message for those reading her obituary were simple: "Don't take the small stuff so seriously and live a little."

After the post went viral, one of Bailey's best friends, Julie Carrigan spoke to TODAY in the US, saying Bailey saw her diagnosis as a "strange blessing in disguise".

"Most people just go every day and take it for granted," Julie shared with the American morning show hosts. "And when you get diagnosed with something like that, there's no taking it for granted anymore."

Bailey travelled to 13 countries while she was sick with cancer, including England, Norway, Croatia, Montenegro and Spain. She also got the chance to see Coldplay - her favourite band - twice before she passed away.

Her friend Julie continued: "She was worried that those two years - if she was going through chemo - her quality of life during that time wouldn’t be very good, so she just went for it and did a lot of stuff that she really wanted to do."