My mother’s best friend, also called Pirjo like her, passed away last night. She struggled with breast cancer and won the battle, after a full masectomy, a couple of years back. She was well for a time, but a little while ago she got ill again and found out the cancer had spread. She was preparing herself for another fight but, after just three weeks in the hospital, the disease finally got the better of her. In a sense it’s a relief she doesn’t have to go through the same hell again, but on the other hand it came so quickly that it has left people reeling.

She was a lovely lovely person. Despite her having lived in Demark for more than 30 years I’ve always felt that she’s had a positive effect on me and my life. Her positivity and enthusiastic outlook on life touched everyone she came into contact with, including some of my friends who got to experience her hospitality when staying over during a festival or interrailing. You couldn’t find a more kind hearted person and she will be missed by many.

I don’t know how to console my mother, for some reason it’s so difficult to say the right things and give her what she needs at a time like this. And on top of it I’m going away to Italy tomorrow… I’m trying to offer her practical help, like finding someone to translate what she wants to say in her address into danish, but I’m running out of time on that one as well…

Goodbye Pirjo. You were loved by many and I’ll always treasure your positive influence in my heart. <3