Kentish Gazette Canterbury & District
‘Brightest star’ gets emotional farewell
The heartbroken family of a teenager who died after a six-year battle with leukaemia have laid their “hero” to rest.
Chloey Marshall had battled the disease four times since the age of 11 but just weeks before her 17th birthday doctors told her family there was nothing more they could do.
The Canterbury Academy pupil died in her sleep on August 19 at The Royal Marsden Hospital, a week after turning 17.
Mourners packed St Dunstan’s Church in Canterbury on Tuesday after a funeral procession from the family home in Redwood Close, led by a horse-drawn hearse.
The Pretenders I’ll Stand by You played as family and friends entered the church before Chloey’s coffin was carried in.
In an moving eulogy by her mother Natalie, Chloey was described as “the brightest star”.
“You are my third child, my baby, and the bond we had through this awful disease was solid,” she said. “Nobody else would ever have that bond with you, only me, your mum. I’m so proud of you my baby girl. I know you’re always with me and the ones you love. Even now you are looking down on us all.
“You are the brightest shining star every night, you took everything in your stride and you did it your way.”
Chloey’s brother Bradley, 19, described her as a “true inspiration”. “You never gave up. Even back in February 2016 when you were given just days to live, you pulled through,” he said.
“You did things on your own terms but unfortunately this time you were too weak and your little body couldn’t take it anymore. You used to call me your hero but really I’m nothing compared to you, you’re the real hero.” Chloey’s sister Kelly, 29, also paid tribute to her “cou- rageous and loving” sibling, describing her as a fantastic sister and auntie to niece Paige.
“I know you’ll be upset that you didn’t get to say goodbye, that you didn’t get to plan any surprises, but you went in peace and there is no more suffering now,” she said.
“I’m so thankful we got to see you the day before you passed, you looked do full of life and so happy. I miss your face, I miss your attitude and I miss you.”
Chloey, who had beaten leukaemia three times before relapsing in March, had just gone back to school before becoming ill again.
Her school mentor Sally Childs made an emotional speech at the funeral, joking that the teenager’s blazer was her “nemesis”.
“She would wear everything, but not her blazer,” she said.“she was beautiful, she was moody, stroppy, loyal, compassionate, kind, caring, resilient, strong, tough, brave, a bit of a diva, but a very loving young girl.”
Mariah Carey and Boyz II Men’s One Sweet Day were also played during the service, with Chloey’s coffin led out to Frank Sinatra’s My Way. She was buried at Canterbury cemetery in Westgate Court before a wake at St Stephen’s Community Association.