A mum-of-three tragically died after dismissing most cancers signs as postnatal points following childbirth.
Laura Stephenson was identified with stage 4 bowel most cancers in 2018 - simply 12 months after she’d given delivery to twins.
The 36-year-old, who labored for 9 years as a fundraiser for varied most cancers charities, hadn't been feeling properly however put it all the way down to her physique recovering from the results of childbirth, in keeping with LancsLive.
She ultimately determined to go to the physician and was referred to hospital for scans - however the outcomes pointed to the rather more sinister information that she had terminal bowel most cancers.
On December 28, 2019, only one yr after her prognosis, Laura handed away, forsaking three daughters, all of whom she had needed to see "develop up and get married".
Laura's father, Mike Barnes, defined: “She hadn’t been feeling properly however thought it was her physique readjusting from childbirth.
"She ended up seeing a health care provider who referred her to hospital for scans the place she was advised she had terminal bowel most cancers.
"She referred to as me as she was within the automotive on the best way dwelling to provide the information to her mum.
"I used to be volunteering in Malawi on the time. She advised me she needed to see her women develop up and get married, and whenever you’re that distance away all you possibly can say is ‘you'll’”.
Mike, from Preston, returned dwelling right away to be together with his daughter, and explains that she by no means let her prognosis get in her approach.
Mike recalled: “She simply went and lived a full life, she refused to let it cease her do something in any respect.
"She had three daughters and insisted on choosing them up from college on daily basis.
"Most cancers wasn’t going to cease her being a mum, it wasn’t going to intrude along with her relationship with these round her, and it wasn’t going to cease her working and serving to others.
"I do know I’m biased, however she was such a tremendous particular person. Everybody that met her fell in love along with her.
"Stage 4 bowel most cancers has a survival fee of eight per cent,, and I hoped with all the pieces I had that she’d be one of many eight per cent.”
Throughout her most cancers battle, Laura saved a weblog documenting her experiences, which Mike determined to compile right into a guide entitled No person Stated It Would Be Simple.
He describes it as “a narrative of braveness, religion, positivity and by no means giving up”.
In an excerpt from her guide, Laura writes: “We have now the liberty to decide on how we method one thing. Being provided that freedom is one thing that I wouldn’t swap for something.
"I'll select religion over concern, hope over fear and perception over doubt each time”.
Mike says that compiling his daughter’s phrases looks like he's conserving her reminiscence alive.
He added: “My complete household discuss fairly freely about Laura and we’re very open about all the pieces.
"Speaking about how beautiful she was brings her reminiscence again.
"Her eldest daughter, who’s now eight, did remark that she will be able to’t bear in mind her mummy’s voice.
"Having one thing tangible she will be able to maintain offers her and her sisters their mummy’s phrases, even whether it is in a written type”.
Now, after working a half marathon with Laura in 2012, Mike has determined to run the London Marathon in October to boost cash for Bowel Most cancers UK in his daughter’s reminiscence.
He admitted: “Everybody says ‘I couldn’t do this’ once I inform them what I’m doing. I’m not even positive I can!”
Laura’s guide is obtainable to order on Amazon now beginning at £4.99 with all proceeds going to Bowel Most cancers UK.
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