On October 6, Nick Glasgow, a 28-year-old EMC employee, died of Leukemia. His loss has saddened many, but he was also an inspiring figure who came to symbolize the human spirit in the face of tragedy and adversity. He rallied a vast support system around him that brought attention to his disease and demonstrated the immense power of social networking to do good in the world.
Last spring when the news came down that he needed a bone marrow transplant, members of the tech community put aside all differences of opinion and competition in order to join as one to help find him a donor. This was something his doctor had told him had a 0% chance. Within four months, he found a match despite his mixed ethnic heritage. All this was made possible through the help of his networks within EMC, as well as a campaign that utilized Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and other means.
As I shared online earlier today, to me this has been a sobering reminder that cancer is among us. There is almost no one who hasn’t been touched by it in some way or other. When it comes to someone as young as Nick, it makes the breath stop in anguish. Yet as the Facebook group “Help Save Nick Glasgow” reported in a recent email, “One thing the Leukemia did not rob was Nick’s determination, joyful spirit, and strength. Though he was uncomfortable and in plenty of pain, Nick was still joking around with friends and family and still determined to walk to the bathroom and sit at the dinner table every evening. He also chose to lessen his pain medications, because he preferred to have a clear head than to be pain free.”
Truly one whose example will live on.
