Aid Worker Simon Boas Reflects on Life and Death After Terminal Cancer Diagnosis
In September 2023, at the age of 46, Simon Boas was diagnosed with terminal throat cancer. Despite the prognosis, he has channeled his reflections on life into a book titled "A Beginner's Guide to Dying," set for posthumous release in October.
In one of his final interviews, Simon spoke with Emma Barnett on the Today Programme as he transitioned into hospice care.
"My pain is under control, and I'm terribly happy - it sounds weird to say, but I'm as happy as I've ever been in my life," Simon shared. He reflected on how having a few months to prepare for his death has allowed him to organize practical matters and embrace the inevitable.
"The book is called 'A Beginner's Guide to Dying,' but really what I'm trying to convey is how enjoying life to the full kind of prepares you for this," Simon explained. His extensive career as an aid worker, including time with the UN in the Gaza Strip, Rwanda, Sierra Leone, and Ukraine, has given him a unique perspective on life and death. He noted that witnessing death as a constant presence in these regions has helped him accept his own mortality.
Simon's work as a Samaritan for the past four years, where he sometimes spoke with people during their final moments, has further deepened his understanding of death. "It does us all good to think about it, he said. "By realizing it's inevitable and a part of life, it actually throws life into perspective and helps you to enjoy it more and prioritize the important things.
He expressed gratitude for the support of his family, including his wife Aurelie and his parents. Simon hopes that his positive outlook on leaving life might help his loved ones cope with his passing. "All our lives are little books... you're a chapter or a page or a footnote in someone else's life and they are going to keep writing beautiful chapters when you are gone."
Simon quoted George Eliot's "Middlemarch" to emphasize the profound impact of ordinary lives: "The effect of her being on those around her was incalculably diffusive... the growing good of the world is partly dependent on unhistorical acts." He encouraged people to recognize their significant contributions to the world, even if their actions go unremembered.
Despite losing his ability to enjoy favorite foods like melted cheese due to chemotherapy and radiotherapy, Simon finds solace in other pleasures. "I've been given full permission by my oncologist and my hospice team to enjoy as much Muscadet and as many cheeky rollups as I want - and I shall certainly be indulging in those and spending time with my family."
As Simon prepares for his final days in a hospice, he maintains a sense of curiosity and readiness. "All shall be well, and all shall be well and all manner of things shall be well," he quoted Julian of Norwich.
Simon Boas, originally from Jersey in the Channel Islands, will spend his remaining time surrounded by his family, facing the end of his life with remarkable peace and happiness.
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