Family’s balloon tribute to mum
A MUM who decided to start a children’s charity while undergoing treatment for terminal cancer has been remembered by family and friends on their first Mother’s Day without her.
Teresa Mitchell, a mum of two, died in July 2017 – eight months after being diagnosed with small cell lung cancer.
She had been told that without treatment she would live for just three weeks.
After her diagnosis, the learning support assistant from Ysgol Y Deri in Penarth, told friends of her dream to set up a charity to help children at her school get specialist equipment.
Following her death aged 37, her husband Paul, together with five of Teresa’s colleagues at Ysgol Y Deri, have set up charity InItWithYou .
To mark their first Mother’s Day without her, Paul and the couple’s children Jamie, 13 and Rianna, 11, held a special event at Cold Knap, near Barry.
They released biodegradable balloons in her memory. Donations for each balloon had been made to raise money for the charity.
Paul said: “She just wanted to make a difference for those kids – that was her.
“She was a very special woman not only to me and my kids and her family but all those that came into contact with her.”
Originally from Tottenham, Teresa moved to Dinas Powys seven years ago where she “fell in love” with working at the Penarth school.
Despite five months of treatment she was told in April the tumour had gone – only for it to return six weeks later.
Paul, 39, said: “She was diagnosed on November 21, 2016. She was told that day she had three weeks to live without treatment and a year with treatment. She made eight months.
“In April there was a scan to say it had cleared. Within six weeks it came back with a vengeance and she had three months.”
The football coach added: “She was one of a kind. If there’s any good that can come of her death hopefully this is it.”
So far the group has raised money to create a pagoda in the school as well as specialist equipment including weighted blankets for pupils with autism and an adapted chair for one pupil with Duchenne muscular dystrophy.
Paul said: “One of her friends just used the hashtag InItWithYou and it had a ring to it and it grew to a crowdfunding page which was great for me and the kids. The rest is history.
“The last seven months my main concern is being with my two kids. I can’t thank her friends enough, it’s turned into something much bigger than I ever envisaged.”
Lucy Morgan, charity trustee and teacher at Ysgol Y Deri, said: “When Teresa was diagnosed she was given a year and in that year she said there was a list of things she wanted to do.
“She knew how important the equipment is and she absolutely loved her job so this is her way for her to help.”
Paying tribute to Teresa, Lucy, 36 added: “She was very loyal, opinionated and a very strong character.
“Teresa knew it was a terminal diagnosis but fought it with everything she had. Even when she was fighting it she didn’t put her pain onto other people.
“She gave everyone a chance in life.”