The head boy of Christchurch Boys' High School, Jake Bailey, gave an emotional speech from a wheelchair at the school's end of year assembly in 2015.

The Christchurch Boys' High School head boy who is being treated for an aggressive cancer has "had a lift" from the international reaction to his inspirational final speech.

A week before senior monitor Jake Bailey, 18, was due to give his prizegiving speech on Wednesday, he was given weeks to live if his fast-growing Burkitts non-Hodgkinson lymphoma was left untreated.

The school videoed the full prizegiving so it could be streamed to Bailey while he received treatment in hospital, but then he made a surprise entrance in a wheelchair.

CBHS Jake Bailey's treatment is going well so far, a family spokesman says.

The speech on Youtube has had more than 80,000 views since it was put online four days ago.

Overcome with the effects of chemotherapy, Bailey vomited before going on stage to talk, and again after and well into the night, headmaster Nic Hillsaid.

The courage shown by his "right hand man at school" over the past few weeks had been an inspiration to the school, wider community and internationally - including "some well known people" who he would not name.

SUPPLIED Christchurch Boys' High School head boy Jake Bailey is assisted by principal Nic Hill.

"It has been amazing, all around the world, lots of old boys, but all sorts of people."

Students, head prefects of other schools, those who had suffered the same cancer, and old boys who had previously held Bailey's senior monitor position, all made contact to offer their support after seeing the speech online.

"Only 700 boys would have seen it if we hadn't videoed it to stream to Jake in hospital."

He was collecting the comments to pass on to the student, but at the moment he was not able to have visitors due to protecting his immunity, and the intensive nature of his treatment.

"He has appreciated the support but the focus really with Jake and especially his family is on looking after him and keeping well.

"He certainly has had a lift from the support."

Bailey had "touched a lot of hearts" and inspired people worldwide, Hill said.

"In a year 9 class this morning the boys were quoting bits of his speech. It was really, really nice.

"It was a stunning speech, but the emotional context behind it was really powerful."

It was supposed to be "Jake's week" in his final week as leader, and he had been determined to be there thinking he might let the school down if he did not, Hill said.

He would undergo treatment for months to come.

"Though the treatment will be intensive, the prognosis has been good."

Hill said in a statement posted to its school website: "Jake's many attributes will help him through this battle and we'll be with him every step of the way."