Dallen died hours after the Guardian published piece that reflected on facing terminal illness
- At 31, I have just weeks to live. Here’s what I want to pass on | Elliot Dallen
- Terminal cancer means I won’t see the other side of lockdown | Elliot Dallen
The family of a young man who wrote movingly of coping with terminal cancer against the backdrop of the coronavirus pandemic has told of taking comfort from the huge response to his articles after he died on Monday.
He is, 31, died hours after the Guardian published the second of two articles by him in which he reflected on his life and shared the lessons which he had learned.
Members of his close family took turns to read him some of the comments made by readers underneath the online piece, in which he wrote of having just weeks to live.
‘You’ve given me a new perspective’: readers on Elliot Dallen’s terminal illness articles
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In a first piece published in April, Dallen had written of the moment last summer when his oncologist broke the news that the treatment which he had been undergoing was not working and that he would be lucky to have another year.
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The young chartered accountant had been diagnosed with adrenocortical carcinoma, an extremely rare and aggressive cancer, in his late 20s, and had been undergoing chemotherapy.
“I’m taking each day as it comes,” he wrote in the piece, in which he spoke of spending quality time with his family and planning to have conversations with friends so that “nothing is left unsaid”.
In the second piece, which expanded on his worldview, he wrote: “Because I’ve had time to think about the things that are really important to me, and I want to share what I’ve discovered.”
They included urging others to recognize the importance of gratitude, be vulnerable and connect to others, and protect the planet.
His sister, Annabel, told the Guardian: “Because of the timing of things, it meant that people from across the world were wishing Elliot well as he was going, which is quite a nice thing to think.
“It really does bring us comfort and we are incredibly touched by what people have said in the comments they posted under the article.”
She added that he didn’t log on to read the second article, but was very much aware of the response it had generated.
“He definitely smiled and while he didn’t have the energy that he had when the first article appeared, which really gave him a special buzz and excitement, you could tell there was a sparkle in his eye.
