This weekend, 21-year-old Dean Eastmond, got the surprise of his life when a video message was broadcast in front of thousands in Trafalgar Square.
At this Saturday’s Pride in London (8th July 2017) Dean Eastmond, a 21-year-old LGBT advocate and journalist, living with cancer, was surprised with a special video from family and friends, which was beamed across Trafalgar Square to an audience of thousands.
Dean, was diagnosed with cancer last year. 12 months on he’s still fighting the disease, as treatment so far has proved unsuccessful.
To help raise awareness of Dean’s work in shifting stigma of LGBT people with cancer, social change company, Shape History, teamed up with Pride in London, to surprise Dean with the emotional video.
Dean Eastmond, following his surprise, said:
“I was so overwhelmed and shocked! When the drag queen on stage mentioned a 21 year old with cancer, my initial reaction was “oh wow, there’s someone here like me”. It took a while for it to click on that she was talking about me! The video has really shown me how important my friends are to me and (apparently) how important I am to them! I have no idea how they kept it as quiet as they did, but it was a beautiful last moment until I re-start chemotherapy.”
Mike Buonaiuto, Executive Director of Shape History said:
“When we first heard Dean’s story we were truly touched and inspired by what he has been working on in spite of going through treatment for cancer.”
“He’s campaigned and stopped discrimination faced by LGBT people living with cancer wanting to freeze their sperm, he has launched a successful queer culture magazine across the UK for young people, and has written about his struggles going through cancer – inspiring thousands online in the process.”
“When his treatment was unsuccessful we decided as a team we had to do something – and spread Dean’s message to thousands more people in Trafalgar Square on Saturday – surprising Dean in the process. It’s our hope more people will find his work and be inspired.”
