Senators' Statements
Rebecca Schofield
March 29, 2017
The Honorable Senator Nancy J. Hartling:
The power of one. Honourable senators, I rise today to bring you an uplifting story about the power of one and to remind you that we all have the power to influence our society in a positive way.
This is the story of a remarkable young woman, Rebecca Schofield, from my home community of Riverview, which is located in Greater Moncton, New Brunswick
I first learned about Rebecca two years ago from her uncle, and her diagnosis of brain cancer. Rebecca, known as Becca to her friends and family, and indeed to the world, is the person behind the social phenomenon known as #BeccaToldMeTo.
Faced with her sombre reality, I believe many of us may have just simply chosen to give up, but not Becca. Instead she decided to create a bucket list for herself. At the top of her list: to recruit others as part of her goal to create a mass act of kindness. Rebecca encouraged people to complete acts of kindness and to post them on social media using the hashtag #BeccaToldMeTo.
Scrolling through online posts, you will find testimonies of people buying strangers a coffee, paying for their gas, shovelling their neighbour's driveway or donating time and money to local charities. There are people from countries across the globe doing acts of kindness in Becca's name.
Becca has been recognized by many community organizations and political leaders in New Brunswick. In January, the New Brunswick RCMP presented Becca with a Commander's Certificate of Appreciation for Outstanding Community Spirit and Leadership. The Prime Minister of Canada recently signed a special Volunteer Awards certificate naming her "honorary emerging leader." And just two weeks ago, she was a guest of honour of the New Brunswick provincial legislature, along with her mother and grandmother.
Through her grace and bravery, Becca continues to check things off her bucket list. While she does this, let us take a moment to send her and her family some light and love.
Her mother wrote: "Finding the positive in every day and focusing on whatever we can control and letting go of what we can't" is their family's philosophy."
Let each of us continue to play our part to help Becca fulfill her wish to spread kindness. I ask you, my fellow senators, to perform an act of kindness and then take a moment to post it on social media with the hashtag #BeccaToldMeTo. I know I will.