Chris and Sarah Basten

Julia,

Thank you so much for this opportunity and for the massive support that Maz says she is getting from you.

Here is our contribution…

You have done many amazing, fun and (at times) tough things with different people around the world. Along the way you have won so many hearts. You clearly have many lovely friends and it is a joy to read about your activities and friendships. We will always have special times in our memory banks: we danced, partied, dressed-up (there was a merkin at one stage), drank brilliant wine, ate superb food, did The Hunter, did the beach, played touch footy with the kids, and had honest discussions about life and death. Your radical acceptance of life and death is beautiful and I have told many people of the stellar example that you have consistently set. You have given your three gorgeous kids – through your enthusiasm and lust for life and Love for them – enough fuel in their tanks to last them forever. All Maz needs to do now is give them tune-ups every now and then. I want you to know that those three will have your friends looking out for them forever.

I know you told me a few times, but I still don’t get how you got RUOK Day up and running. Within one year, you had on-board mental health service partners, media partners, NGOs, and heaps of community goodwill. What I had trouble getting, I guess, is that I didn’t believe anyone could do all that. But, when people see the vision that you have and witness the energy and massive willingness to make it happen, then they want to do things with you and for you. And, man, you have all those qualities in spades. ‘RUOK’ will live on and be a landmark in Australia and elsewhere. There are several people (me included) who will make sure that happens.

You have scored some huge goals and hit some long shots; I guess some bunkers are too steep to hit out of. We treasure our times together and look forward to having more of the good stuff in the future with Maz, Gus, Josie and Van.