One of my best friends recently passed away after a long battle with cancer. After initially being given only a few months to live, Dave met this news head on with a remarkable stoicism and a determination to not be beaten. He responded fairly well to treatment early on but unfortunately as time went on there were complications and his cancer metastasised to other organs. He still remained stoic and tenacious with the same determination to pull through and whilst he was going through this he still managed to remain positive and genuinely cared about how his friends were doing, listening to problems, talking through things and giving advice in hard times. Dave was a generous, gregarious chap and after meeting him in halls at university and forming a small gang of best mates we embarked on many misadventures and shenanigans - some of the best memories which I will cherish forever. It was clear that we would remain lifelong friends. Dave fought for two years, surpassing every doctors prognosis but passed away peacefully on the 9th of July 2018 surrounded by his family. He will always be someone who I look up to; he gave me the confidence to do what I want to do and to follow my dreams without compromise. He inspires me to strive to be the best person I can be every day.