Thousands respond to #BeccaToldMeTo in support of young cancer patient

The bucket list of 17-year-old cancer patient Rebecca (Becca) Schofield is growing — but so is the number of people supporting her biggest wish: to perform a mass act of kindness.

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Doctors told the Riverview, N.B., teen in December that she is losing a two-year long battle against brain cancer and has between three months and a year left to live.

Since then, Schofield has developed a following on social media with her hashtag #BeccaToldMeTo, asking people to perform random acts of kindness.

Thousands have responded, some from as far away as Spain, Japan, and Australia, she told CBC Maritime Noon on Wednesday.

"It's so lovely," she said. "To know that people care about me and think about me like that and I don't even know them. I've never even met them."

Unexpectedly successful

Anne Schofield, Becca's mother, said they never expected her idea would go this far.

But now people from all over the world are donating blood – which means a lot to Becca, who said she's needed several transfusions in the past two years – or are buying coffees and giving money to the SPCA in her name.

"We thought friends and family would do it for a day or so and that would be the end of it," said Anne. "But then it picked up like crazy."

She added that the tremendous response they've received from people in response to Becca's request is helping them deal with the inevitable.

But she said it also seems to have had a positive impact on others who are suffering from illnesses, both physical and mental.

"What touched me is how her attitude and her story has helped people deal with problems in their own lives, people dealing with depression, or anxiety, and they are coming out of their shell and they are pushing themselves a little bit," she said. "I'm in awe!"

Bucket list continues

In the meantime, Schofield and her family are trying to cross off as many of the other items on her bucket list as possible.

The teen recently returned from a train trip to Quebec City, which included seeing an NHL game with her sister and further travel to Toronto.

Other items are being added as they come, she said.

One person offered to take her dog sledding, while her cousin will fly her in a two-seater plane over Moncton, N.B.

She'll also go whale watching, get more tattoos and dye her hair a different colour. The next trip will be to Newfoundland, to visit family there, she said.

"I just want to spend time with my family," said Becca.

"Anything that makes her happy right now makes me happy," added her mom.

Good days, bad days

On Wednesday, Becca said she was having a pretty good day.

She feels fatigued more often and can usually do only one activity per day and then needs to recover, she said.

But even on the bad days,  she tries to focus on the good, she said.

Many people in Riverview and Canada continue to give back to the Schofields, raising money to allow the family to spend Becca's final months together without financial worries.

Anne Schofield said she and her husband also took leave from their jobs, while their other daughter is taking her next semester off.

Becca said it gives her strength to see the support from the community and the responses to her hashtag online.

"It's pretty hard to feel bad when you have people like this rallying for you," she said.