Becca was honoured by Governor General Julie Payette on behalf of the Queen with a Meritorious Service Decoration.
The Schofields received a letter confirming the award in December 2017. They do not know who nominated Becca because that information is kept confidential.
The Meritorious Service Medal (M.S.M.) Civil Division recognizes a deed or an activity that, “sets an example for others to follow, improves the quality of life of a community and brings benefit or honour to Canada”.
Past recipients have included astronaut Chris Hadfield and Olympian Clara Hughes.
Receiving the Award
On February 10, 2018 Becca’s mom Anne Schofield posted in Becca’s Facebook group that the honorable Jocelyne Roy-Vienneau, the Lieutenant-Governor of New Brunswick presented them with the certificate and medal:
Unfortunately Becca wasn’t well enough to receive it herself.
We appreciate the Lieutenant Govenor taking the time out of her busy schedule to come visit us.
We are very proud and honored.
Citation
The official citation is posted on the website of the Governor General of Canada:
Recent high school graduate Becca Schofield has motivated people to perform random acts of kindness and post about them on social media using the hashtag #BeccaToldMeTo. In a blog about her battle with cancer, she wrote that encouraging more kindness in the world was at the top of her “bucket list”. Her courage and generous nature are an inspiration to her peers, her community and millions of others around the globe.
Medal
Created by Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, the cross was originally created in 1984, for members of the military. In 1991, a medal was added to the military division, and both the cross and medal were introduced for civilians.
The Meritorious Service Cross is a silver Greek cross, ends splayed and convexed, bearing the Royal Crown: on one side appears a maple leaf within a circle and a laurel wreath between the arms, and on the other appears the Royal Cypher, and within a double circle the inscription MERITORIOUS SERVICE MÉRITOIRE.
The Meritorious Service Medal is a circular silver medal bearing the Royal Crown: on one side of which appears the design of the Cross, and on the other appears the Royal Cypher, and within a double circle the inscription MERITORIOUS SERVICE MÉRITOIRE.
Photo Credit: Larry Schofield