Today I attended the funeral for a wonderfully bright and brave woman I had the pleasure of knowing these last few years. Simone was the office manger at Orange Vision and was always on hand with ‘cups of filth’ and orders for ‘filth sandwiches’ in fact just filth in general! Although I wasn’t that close to Simone, she was definitely a great person to have around the office.
Simone died the day after Boxing Day, only a few months after being diagnosed with Motor Neurone Disease—although she had suspected that she had it for a large part of last year. The way in which she carried on regardless, smiling, joking and then later helping others come to terms with her condition proved to us all how incredibly brave and strong she really was.
I think if her time on this earth is to have any lasting value, it should be to teach us that life can throw all kinds of problems at you, but if you rise above it, you can become a better person. On a personal level, her death at such a young age (32) makes me realise how I should make the very most of every opportunity that comes my way—after all it could all end tomorrow.
Orange Vision has set up a tribute fund for Simone in aid of the Motor Neurone Disease Association, which I think is a great way to celebrate her life and also help others in the process. I shall also be adding this charity to the growing list that I support.