HIS Majesty the King and Queen Camilla have written a personal letter to Islander Simon Boas to say how moved they have been by his courage and generosity in the face of terminal illness.
It was delivered at lunchtime on Wednesday 10 July by the Lieutenant-Governor, Vice Admiral Jerry Kyd, to Jersey Hospice, where Simon is surrounded by his wife, Aurelie, and family.
Simon’s reflections on life, love and how special we all are have touched millions around the world since being published as Weekend Essays in the JEP.
Those pieces of writing have been reproduced by the Mail on Sunday and The Daily Telegraph. He was also invited to appear on Radio 4’s Today programme and was the subject of an article in the Sunday Times last weekend.
The essays form the basis of a book, A Beginner’s Guide to Dying, which brings them together with other pieces of Simon’s writing, some of the many letters he has received from well-wishers and his responses to them. It will be published posthumously later this year, with proceeds going to charities that help fund palliative care for people in developing countries and children. The book is available to pre-order now on Amazon, Waterstones and from the publisher Swift Press. Last week, it had reached number two in the Amazon best-seller list.
A statement released by Simon’s colleagues at Jersey Overseas Aid, where he is the chief executive, said that the personal letter conveyed how moved His Majesty had been to hear of Simon’s exceptional charitable service and his admiration for Simon’s courageous approach to his illness.
