From her death bed, brave mum Sammi planned every detail of her funeral...
COURAGE OF WOMAN, 29, WHO DIED DAYS AFTER DIAGNOSIS
BEFORE she closed her eyes for the very last time, brave Sammi Fox planned her own funeral down to the finest detail.
Struck down with cancer and given only days to live, the 29-year-old sat with her mum Denise to plan the clothes and jewellery she wanted to wear as she lay in her coffin.
“Her favourite colours were burnt orange and cerise pink, she liked to wear all things bright,” said Denise, 51, of North Shields.
“It was the hardest thing I have had to do, we sat together and planned her funeral.
“She planned it in detail, she wanted to wear her favourite outfit - her burnt orange top, white jeans, her boots and bling earrings. She wanted to wear a locket and have two rings and a St Christopher in it from her two sons. “She is lying there now with them on.” Sammi touched the heart of the nation when she released an emotional video of her preparing to say goodbye to her five-year-old Down’s Syndrome son Bobby.
It showed the pair lying on her hospice bed as they listened to Bobby’s favourite song, Take Me Home by Jess Glynne, as she wiped away her tears.
A JustGiving page has raised almost £12,000 to help pay for her funeral and go towards making Christmas special for Bobby and other son Kai, 13, who lives with his dad. She also wanted Bobby’s birthday to be memorable on December 19.
Sammi will have a humanist funeral and will be buried at Preston Cemetery in North Shields on Monday, October 30, at 11am.
And her friends and family have been asked to wear the colours Sammi loved.
Denise added: “I have already bought my outfit for the funeral, it’s in burnt orange, just like Sammi wanted. She loved her bright colours and we want others to wear her colours.”
Sammi, of North Shields, was only given days to live after medics said there was nothing they could do after they discovered she had ovarian cancer, secondary to bowel cancer.
And Sammi was in the Marie Curie Hospice in Elswick, Newcastle, for just over a week when she died at 2.30am on Wednesday surrounded by parents Denise and Mel, nana Margo, sister Kelle, and brother Paddy.
Struck down with cancer, Sammi was only told the devastating news on Monday, October 9, there was nothing medics could do.
Her health deteriorated so quickly she was taken to the hospice where family and friends prepared to say their goodbyes.
And, as she put forward her funeral plan reflecting her vibrant personality, she was faced with making plans for Bobby to be cared for by his grandmother Denise.
Last week when Sammi arrived at the hospice and wrote a heartfelt message to her friends and family on her Facebook page.
It said: “As most of you are aware I’ve been quite unwell for some time now. My diagnosis is bowel cancer which has spread to my ovaries. As of today I’ve been given literally DAYS to spend with my beautiful friends and family!
“I’m going to miss every single beautiful person I’ve met in my life - there’s some absolutely awesome people in my life and I love you truly!
She added: “Today I was given the news of literally days, maybe a week to live!!
“I have two beautiful boys who I’m going to miss growing up!
“I have amazing family and friends that I want to spend my life with but can’t! I just want you all to know how much you truly all mean to me!! I LOVE YOU SO MUCH !!!! ”
Sammi’s nightmare started about eight months ago when she had stomach problems and says she was treated for irritable bowel syndrome. It was later thought she could possibly have gallstones and was sent for a scan which discovered a tumour on her ovaries.
On September 8 she got a phone call to tell her the shocking news. She was then offered a full hysterectomy, but was in so much pain she was admitted to North Tyneside General Hospital on October 2 and then transferred to Northumbria Specialist Emergency Care Hospital before going to the hospice.
Sister Kelle, 32, said: “Anyone who knows Sam knew how bright and bubbly she was.
“We will ask people at her funeral to wear bright colours.
“Anyone who knew her would know she never wore black, she wore luminous pink and bright oranges, all bright colours and that is what we want for her.”
When announcing Sammi’s funeral, Denise wrote on her Facebook page: “Please be aware that Sammi is watching over everyone so no tears allowed lol xx.”
Cash has also flooded in from Featonby’s Auctioneers and Valuers in North Shields, other businesses, fundraisers and Bobby has been donated a play bed from Reagan Jack Rainbows charity.
Sammi also leaves other siblings Dale and Taylor and her dad’s wife Sally.
Anyone wanting to donate can visit the page www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/sammisfuneral