By Charlie Mackesy
Charlie Mackesy’s book has sold well over 1,000,000 copies. Images from the book appear on walls in schools and hospitals, hang from lampposts in places as far-flung as Los Angeles and Delhi, and are regularly posted on social media sites. The conversations between the boy and his animal friends speak so poignantly about the human condition, particularly during the ongoing Covid Pandemic, although curiously the book was first published in the autumn of 2019, when no-one knew what was coming.
However, as well as being so appropriate in many ongoing situations where people are isolated and anxious and often cut off almost completely from their families and friends, Charlie Mackesy’s simple phrases and delightful illustrations can also bring comfort to those who are struggling with a cancer diagnosis and to those who are supporting them, including Cancer Support Switzerland clients and volunteers.
Mackesy says that the very first drawing came from a conversation he had with a friend about what courage is.
He didn’t like the answer, so he drew the Boy, asking the Horse, “What was the bravest thing you ever said?” The Horse replies, “Help.”
And isn’t that what Cancer Support Switzerland is all about?
