18-year-old NZ school captain with cancer delivers powerful speech (VIDEO)

Jake Bailey, an 18-year-old NZ school captain, was diagnosed last week with Burkitt lymphoma – the world’s fastest growing tumour in humans. A week before senior prize-giving, doctors said that he may not live to see the day. Now, a powerful speech delivered by him at the Christchurch Boys’ High School has become an inspiration for those fighting the gruelling battle between life and death.

“I wrote a speech. And then, a week before I was due to deliver that speech tonight, they said ‘You've got cancer’," said Jake in the speech. The senior monitor at the Christchurch Boys’ High School, Bailey delivered his speech to hundreds of students and distinguished staff, moving many to tears. The end of his speech was followed by a moving haka – a traditional war cry or challenge of the Maori people that holds a special place in New Zealand culture.

In his emotional speech, Bailey urged fellow students to strive continually for success and to be the best version of themselves. “Here's the thing, none of us get out of life alive. So be gallant, be great, be gracious and be grateful for the opportunities that you have,” said Bailey in his speech.

Nic Hill, Christchurch Boys’ High School principal, said that almost everyone listening to the speech had tears in their eyes. “I got up to make my speech and felt a bit emotionally drained. I think the thing is just the effort he made to get there as well,” he said in an NZ Herald report. “It was a great evening, as well as Jake's great speech, but I sort of wondered when he left how we were going to carry on.”

An estimate on MyVMC says that there are 12 new cases of Burkitt lymphoma in Australia, annually. In western countries, it is a relatively rare disease, comprising 0.3 to 1.3 percent of all cases of non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma.

Burkitt lymphoma is classified as a type of non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma, starting in the immune cells called B-cells. According to WebMD, Burkitt lymphoma is recognised as the fastest-growing tumour in humans, impairing immunity and causing rapid fatality if not treated.

Burkitt lymphoma derived its name from British surgeon Denis Burkitt, credited with first identification of the unusual disease among African kids in 1956. Burkitt lymphoma is common among young children in Central Africa.