For The One was able to support Grace financially through all her medical treatment which included all transportation fees and food. In addition to the physical need, we dedicated ourselves to seeing her thrive in every aspect of her journey. We spent hours sitting in clinic and hospital waiting rooms whilst entertaining ourselves with kids YouTube, phone photos and videos, playing hide and seek, eating snacks, laughing together and learning to communicate in each others languages. We ate on hospitals floors, played games, sang songs, did face painting, kinetic sand modelling and so much more. Whether she was admitted into hospital, going to appointments or at home between treatments, we were there. Grace wanted to be a teacher when she grew up and she definitely had the character to be one. She was so determined, yet full of fun and mischief. 

This brave warrior walked through her cancer journey with such grace, courage and incredible joy! Of course there were tears, but laughter always followed closely behind. Whilst most of the world was in lock down (or some form of home quarantine) Grace was travelling back and forth to the hospital for surgery and chemotherapy. Daily painful procedures, blood tests, scans, medications that make her vomit, blood transfusions, confined to her bed and only her Mum for comfort. Yet her only complaint was that her hair had disappeared so what does her hairbrush do now?! 

Grace successfully completed her treatment and was officially declared cancer free in early 2021. They returned home to their village where they received a hero’s welcome. Tragically, our precious girl, Grace, died in the summer of 2022 from a preventable infection. This is the reality of poverty and poor access to health care services. She died from pneumonia after the family were unable to find the transportation fees to get from their village to the nearest hospital. By the time a neighbour offered his car and drove them to the hospital, it was already too late and they sent her home to die. We miss Grace so much, but in the midst of the grief, we are choosing to celebrate her life and look forward in hope. We continue to keep in touch with her family and offer as much love and support as we can. In the early days after Grace passed away, we covered the cost of the funeral and then supplied the family with a months worth of food to allow her mother to stay at home with the family and grieve her daughter. We hoped this would alleviate the burden of putting food on the table each day but gave her mum the option of choosing when she was ready to return to work. 

At For The One, we know first hand that grief is a gift. In a way, grief is just love with no place to go. The measure of grief is simply a reflection of the depth of love that was shared. To deny the fullness of grief is to deny the depth of love. We both love and grieve Grace deeply.