A Woman Who Believed Kindness Would Save the World - Tessa Jowell Died of Brain Cancer

When a woman whose life was full of achievements developed brain cancer , and her loved ones wept because she was ill, Tessa Jowel said: "I am not afraid. I know my purpose and what I want to do very well, but how can I know how long my life will last? I will certainly do everything I can to make good use of this time and ensure it lasts as long as possible." During treatment, although she felt she was nearing the end of her life, she continued taking actions that would benefit other people.

Who Was Tessa Jowell?

Dame Tessa Jowell was born in London in 1947 and attended St Margaret’s School for Girls in Aberdeen. She continued her higher education at the University of Aberdeen and pursued studies at the University of Edinburgh and Goldsmiths, University of London.

Dame Tessa became the Labour MP for Dulwich in 1992, establishing herself on the political scene. Toward the end of her life, she ran various campaigns with former British Prime Minister Tony Blair. Although she knew she would lose her life during this period, she was ready to give everything she could to help people, thinking of the future. Throughout her career, she held important positions including Culture Secretary, Olympics Minister, Cabinet Office Minister, Minister for London and Deputy Director General.

As a Labour supporter and politician, she added value to everything she touched, secured equal pay for women, launched Sure Start, an outstanding program for children, and brought the 2012 Olympics to Britain.

Tessa Jowell was married to her second husband, lawyer David Mills, for approximately 27 years. Following their separation, controversy arose over her husband’s connections to Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi. Speaking to BBC Woman’s Hour in 2012, Dame Tessa said that he told her, "You are my problem, you are my problem," and we separated. "It broke my heart." she said.

Dame Tessa was first diagnosed in May 2017 with what, because of its rapid spread and growth, is classified as a high-grade brain tumor , namely glioblastoma (GBM-4) . She told the BBC: "I was diagnosed with an acute and very serious brain cancer. Before that, there had been no symptoms or signs. I thought I could cope with this cancer."

Her family announced with great sadness that she died at home on 12 May 2018, aged 70. Prime Minister Theresa May said that the dignity and courage Dame Tessa showed during her illness were "humbling" and "inspiring," and that the campaign she launched was a lasting tribute to her lifetime of public service.

IAAF president and former chairman of the London Olympic Games organizing committee Lord Sebastian Coe said that the London 2012 Olympic Games would not have happened without Dame Tessa.

"In the end, what gives a life meaning is not only how it is lived, but also how it ends." she said in a speech. She hoped that her words would give other cancer patients hope, enabling them to live with cancer too. Former Prime Minister Tony Blair praised Dame Tessa, telling the BBC that she was "always an honest, loyal, well-intentioned and wise public servant," he said.

Throughout her life, Tessa Jowel was courageous, strong and compassionate, an activist and advocate for women’s rights. In this way, she reminded us of our respected teacher who also died in May, in 2009, of breast cancer, Türkan Saylan . Prof. Dr. Türkan Saylan was a physician who contributed greatly to education, healthcare and many other areas in Turkey, and accomplished countless successful projects locally and internationally.

Born in Istanbul on 13 December 1935, Türkan Saylan graduated from Kandilli Girls’ High School and Istanbul Faculty of Medicine. She specialized in skin and venereal diseases in 1968, and in 1968 also began serving as chief resident in the Department of Dermatology at Istanbul University Faculty of Medicine.

In 1976, she began working on leprosy, also known as Hansen’s disease, and founded the Association and Foundation for the Fight Against Leprosy. In 1986, she received the "International Gandhi Award" in India. Saylan served as an adviser to the World Health Organization on leprosy until 2006 and was also a founding member and vice president of the International Leprosy Association.

Let us conclude our article with a quotation from Rana Şahnaz’s book A Tango of Solitude about strong women :

No girl is born to be a strong woman. They are all like spoiled princesses dreaming innocent dreams. It is fate that turns them into witches, schemers or strong women. Broken promises, unfinished destinies, happiness never experienced, deaths and separations are said to give people strength. When the dreams they have built collapse like a tower of playing cards, God gives people strength so they will not be crushed beneath the rubble...