The personal correspondence was hand delivered to Simon on behalf of King Charles III by His Excellency, The Lieutenant Governor, Vice Admiral Jerry Kyd CBE, at lunchtime on Thursday 11th July. The letter conveyed how moved His Majesty has been to hear of Simon’s exceptional charitable service at home and overseas and his admiration for Simon’s courageous approach to his illness.
Simon received His Excellency, The Lieutenant Governor, alongside his loving wife, Aurelie, and his parents, Sarah and Tony, at Jersey Hospice.
Since his cancer diagnosis in September 2023, Simon has written a number of letters to the Jersey Evening Post that have now been read by millions of people around the world. He has been honoured with prestigious awards, including the Bailiff’s Silver Seal and the Certificate of Achievement from the World Jersey Cattle Bureau. In recent months, Simon and his inspirational writing has been featured in The Telegraph, The Daily Mail, on Radio 4 Today’s Programme and in The Times.
Despite his terminal diagnosis, Simon has also gone on to write a book addressing the difficult topic of cancer and death, but ultimately about the joy of life. ‘A Beginner’s Guide to Dying’ builds on his moving articles that went viral and will be published in
September. All proceeds will go towards palliative care charities and the book is available via the link below as well as from Amazon and Waterstones. A Beginner's Guide to Dying | Swift Press