Inspiring Through Blogging: Eva Markvoort

Twenty-five year old Eva Markvoort, like many bloggers, shared her life through her posts, video, and social media. Her final blog post, however, was perhaps unlike any we’ve ever had to write.Propped in a hospital bed, surrounded by family, she addressed her audience in a video: “Hello to the world at large. To my blog, to my friends, to everyone. I have some news today. It’s kinda tough to hear, but I can say it with a smile. My life is ending.”

Just days before her 26th birthday, Eva Markvoort succumbed to her lifelong battle with Cystic Fibrosis.Eva started her blog in 2006 because of the loneliness she felt, being confined in a hospital room and isolated after visiting hours. Blogging was her outlet to connect with other patients around the world. The blog’s name itself came from her disease, and her inability as a child to pronounce Cystic Fibrosis, calling it instead, “sixty five roses,” a common children’s malapropism. The color was added because it was her favorite.

Markvoort’s words inspired many – from fellow patients suffering the same emotional ups and downs and going through the same difficult procedures, to virtual passersby who were inspired to change their own lives as a result of her words. According to a CNN article about Marvoort, one reader sent a card to her hospital room, which read:

“I felt so selfish when I stumbled across your [LiveJournal] on here, because I’ve been smoking cigarettes for years, taking my lungs for granted. You helped me quit the worst habit I’ve ever had.”

In 2009, a documentary about Markvoort’s 2007 double lung transplant, was released, and won top honors at prestigious film festivals. The film, “65 Red Roses,” also raised awareness about the need for organ donation. According to a statement given by Joyce Murray, Canadian Member of Parliament for Vancouver-Quadra, “Eva often said that if she could convince one person to become an organ donor as a result of her blog, she would be satisfied. After the release of her award-winning documentary, ’65 Red Roses,’ organ donations increased around the world, and tripled in Canada alone.”

Eva Markvoort passed away on March 27, 2010, having influenced and inspired countless lives with her deeply personal content.

Do you know of a blogger who is enacting change or raising awareness with her blog? We’d love to hear from you – please contact us so that we may feature her in a future post.