The Peterborough Evening Telegraph
FAmily’s fundrAising drive in memory of trAgic mumSAmAnthA
Mother-of-three died of pancreatic cancer at 29
A devastated family are fundraising for a memorial bench in honour of a former Pride in Peterborough winner who has passed away aged 29. Mum- of- three Samantha Walker died from pancreatic cancer having not long recovered from a heart blockage which had left her in a coma.
Samantha had hoped to join her family on a trip to Disneyland Paris later this year, but now the family will undertake that trip in her honour while continuing to fundraise for a garden bench where children William (10), Lilly (6) andIsabelle (2) canremember their mummy.
Samanthapassedawayjust a day after Lilly’s sixth birthday, and husband Lee said there were not enough words todescribehowmuchheloved his wife.
He said: “She showed me what a happy family is supposed to be. I just love her to pieces. She was the most caringpersonanybodycouldever wish for.
“Sheraised moneyforpeople even whenshewaspoorly.
“She was the person that when a storm hit, I always had her. She made life seem easy.”
Samantha, of Parnwell, won the Peterborough Telegraph’s Pride in Peterborough award in 2013 after raising funds to transform a house so thatalittleboywithleukaemia could spend his final months at home.
But, in January 2015 she was in a coma for four weeks after suffering a pulmonary was surrounded by family in“She was a brilliant mum - sit with the children and she embolism - a blockage in the cluding Lee and mum Mandy her children adored her. And told themthatif shewastodie pulmonaryartery- whichsaw Niemc. she did so much for the comtheywouldbehappy, wouldbe her resuscitated twice at PeMandy, of Dogsthorpe, munity. married, would have a good terborough City Hospital. said: “Her last words were “As a mum I don’t think life and would stay with Lee.
She was then diagnosed ‘you need to get Lee’. We were anybody could be as proud “She prepared them really with pancreatic cancer a year together and that’s what she as I am. She had a big smile, well. They’re really upset but later. wanted.” a beautiful smile, full of life.” they understand it better.
The Peterborough TeleMandysaidSamanthaconMandy said Samantha had “The children are keeping graphspoketoherinMay2016 tinued to help people despite done an excellent job in preme going. I’m heart-broken - when Samantha said she was being gravely ill in hospital. paring her children for the she was my world. The best remaining positive and confiShe added: “The main worst. thing that ever happened to me.”dentthatshecouldmakean-thingthatdescribesSamwasSheadded:“Thechildren other stirring recovery. that she was happy. She was know everything. She’s now To donate to the memorial
However, her brave fight very inspirational to people. an angel and gone to heaven. benchvisit: https://www.justendedlastmonthinPeterborShe did not have a bad bone in “We’vealwaysbeenhonest. giving.com/crowdfunding/coough City Hospital where she her body. One of the things Sam did was lin-martin-705.