Thy Will Be Done – Homage to Sophie

2 October 2021|Health, Testimonials

Illness has been an unwanted bedfellow in recent years, but it has connected me to some amazing people, none more than Mrs Sophie Sabbage.  

Sophie died on 1 October, some 7 years after her initial lung cancer diagnosis, outliving her prognosis of ‘several months’ over and over again.  

Three months before her death I took part in one of her online workshops.  I bounded in when offered the opportunity to ask questions, her response to mine was ‘What’s holding you back?’  I realised for the first time that it was judgement, a fear of being judged, and subsequently being found wanting.  She told me that I couldn’t have ‘wonderful’ without having challenges.  Honest as ever, she shared how she had lost friends when she began speaking out about her cancer, but encouraged me that I will find my tribe, as she has.

Sophie and I had our last Zoom call exactly 2 months before she died; half an hour, one-on-one, a precious gift.  She encouraged me (as always), to believe in what I’m doing and apply that belief. 

She believed in what we are doing here at Double-zero – saying our cancer resource and the charity Yes to Life is all a cancer patient needs.  Praise indeed.  We both knew it would be the last time we would be together, I got to pray for her, we got to say goodbye.

This one’s for you Sophie.  You had cancer – cancer never had you.

I’ll end with Sophie’s TED Talk from 2019: How Grief Can Help Us Win When We Lose.  We all lost yesterday, but Sophie you helped so many of us win.  Thank you, dear one…