Alex Halley worked in a school for children with physical disabilities and additional sensory needs as an Occupational Therapist.
It can be distressing to learn that a loved one has cancer. If you're close to the person, you could also experience fear and tension throughout this period. You have this urge to be there for them or do something for them, that will make you always cherish and remember them. A man who tragically lost his lover is now driven to grant her final wish. The couple was on a vacation in Italy where they were attending a friend's wedding. However, the 27-year-old received a call from the doctor with a dire prognosis before they could plan their return. And then, eight weeks later, she passed away from advanced cervical cancer, according to Wales Online.
After that call, Alex Halley was only able to spend three weeks at home before being taken to the hospital, where she spent the remaining five weeks of her life. She expressed a dying wish to contribute to the creation of an accessible playground so that children with a disability may play alongside their siblings and friend. "When speaking about the children at school, you could see her face light up and feel just how much she adored them. The need for an accessible playground for children of all abilities was a cause particularly close to Alex’s heart," he wrote. Now, in honor of Alex remembered as a "caricature of a good person," her boyfriend has vowed to see that her wish comes true.
Alex had been experiencing stomach issues for some time and had assumed they were either a cyst or a side effect of coming off the pill. They believed that within a few months, whatever it was, could be treated. In spite of Aidan's explanation that "your mind always goes to the most positive potential outcome," Alex passed away at the age of just 27 just eight weeks after being diagnosed.
My incredible colleague Alex was so dedicated to her role as a paediatric occupational therapist. Her partner is raising money to build an accessible playground in her memory https://t.co/3TkrUTvBEH https://t.co/KQzFxXXppc
— Rob Molloy (@RobTheOT) December 7, 2022
The following two months, said Aidan, were "a bit of a blur." Alex had been in and out of the hospital every day. He remembers how strong Alex was throughout this period and how much the hospital personnel clearly cared for her. He remembers her as the most "caring, passionate, and selfless person" he has ever met.
Since Alex was an occupational therapist in a school for kids with physical impairments and other sensory demands, she had a far greater understanding of what was going on than Aidan did. Aidan recalled: "We got told on Thursday that it was terminal, and I said my proper last goodbyes then. I sat in the room with her, and played the song that we always joked would be our first dance at our wedding."
Since he developed a coronavirus infection soon after saying his final proper goodbye, Aidan was unable to see Alex in the ICU. Aidan has now started a fundraising effort to help Alex achieve her dream of having a playground, and he has already raised more than $22,000 of the $80,000. He continued by saying that it would be challenging to find someone who "enjoys their work as much" as Alex and that Alex's good nature will "shine through." He stated that every night when Alex came home with a big smile on her face, she would show him pictures of pyjama day with the kids or a funny thing one of the kids had said. Aidan concluded by saying, "Her entire outlook on life was 'how can I help people?' The world would be a better place if there were more Alex Halleys." You can donate to Aidan's fundraiser here.
References:
https://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/real-life/woman-burst-tears-after-phone-25696614
Cover Image Source: Just Giving / Aidan Solan
