Meet the woman who wants to change someone’s life every week of the year

In a world where inequality continues to grow, those who need help can easily be swallowed up in a void – like a penny lost in the corner of the couch. But lucky for those people, Jaime Thurston is not going to let that happen.

When she realized there were a lot of people in need of help, the 35-year-old housewife launched 52 Lives – a website that aims to change someone’s life every week of the year through collective and random acts of kindness. kindness. The journey began when Thurston was shopping for furniture online. While browsing a second-hand furniture website, she saw a “Wanted” ad that immediately caught her attention.

“It was a young single mother looking for rugs to cover the floor of her house, which was damaged. She was afraid the kids would get hurt,” Thurston told HuffPost UK Lifestyle. “She seemed desperate so I reached out to see if she needed anything else. She had run away from a bad domestic situation and was starting over.”

By finding out more about this stranger, Thurston thought he might be able to help more people. “People are good and want to help each other,” she says. “Sometimes it’s merely a matter of putting people in need in touch with others who can help. So I decided to create a Facebook page to do just that.”

Since that moment, the idea has only grown – mainly through word of mouth. Today 52 Lives has an official website and manages to offer help to one new person each week. The initiative is coordinated by Thurston, but, according to her, much of the work is done by the thousands who visit the site, share requests for help and offer support to strangers (people they will probably never meet).

“The basic premise is that people are good. And a lot of good people working together is even better,” she adds. And it’s not just about tangible goods, says Thurston. “It’s the unexpected kindness that makes the biggest difference to the people we help,” says Thurston. “Knowing that there are complete strangers who care and want to help. This is what helps change lives.”

The first person to benefit from the collective kindness of 52 Lives was 9-year-old Claire Ollier from Queensland, Australia. “Claire had brain cancer and went through a lot of treatments. We wanted her to have something special,” says Thurston. “With the help of several companies, we were able to get her to the theater to see Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, wearing a beautiful dress. And we also gave her a VIP day at an amusement park.”

Sadly, Claire passed away months later. But thanks to the kindness of 52 Lives, her last memories were happy ones. Now the organization is helping her older brother.

Evie, 9, daughter of Nicola Shallom, is one of those who have benefited from 52 Lives’ acts of kindness. She was diagnosed with Kodgkin’s lymphatic cancer in March 2014. Shortly after her diagnosis, one of her professors contacted 52 Lives to try to raise money to renovate Evie’s room. “It was just what she needed, something cool and fun,” says Nicola, Evie’s mother. “She was super excited when we told her.”

Evie’s room, which has been “incredibly brave” in the treatment, has been painted blue, with a tree on one wall. The family also received IKEA product vouchers. The room was ready and, according to Nicola, Evie loves to show it to her friends. “52 Lives not only gave her a new room, but also many hours of joy planning, decorating and shopping. This helped a lot in the treatment.”

With so many emotional stories, it’s hard for Thurston not to get sucked into people’s lives and dramas. “I cry every week without fail,” she reveals. “People share the most difficult and personal details of their lives. And some of the stories are heartbreaking.”

One letter received by Thurston, who has two children, was from a woman the organization had helped in the past. “It was a short, simple letter,” says Thurston. “But it still brings tears to my eyes when I read it.”

The woman also decided to help, sending an A$200 gift card to a family in need. Thurston says the card was accompanied by a note that read: “We are in this world together and we need to support each other. They need to know they are not alone.”

Since its inception in November 2013, Thurston’s initiative has received nothing but praise. And also many requests for help, ranging from dentures to a new car. Thurston says she is very grateful for the confidence people have in her judgment.

“They have enormous faith in me. They rely on my judgment to choose who will receive help, and they help without knowing the person. That faith and that kindness is overwhelming.”

Why do people decide to help unknown people they know nothing about? For several reasons, says Thurston. “But I think, above all, because people like to help directly. Seeing the benefit of your actions is very empowering. Each week, different stories will appeal to different people. At some point a story will grab your attention.”

Regardless, Thurston says the experience didn’t restore his faith in humanity. The reason? She always believed that people were “inherently good” and wanted to help each other. “The most important thing to do is to sow kindness. Unexpected kindness is powerful and can change a person’s outlook on life.”

Article published in Brasil Post.