A woman who fought blood cancer for 13 years during which time a selfie where she defiantly wrote F**k Cancer on her face went viral, has died.
Kathryn Cartwright, who went public with her fight against the cruel disease, died at just 28 years old.
Kathryn, from Birmingham, England, was diagnosed with leukemia when she was 16 years old.
Injured after falling out of her wheelchair
It was August 2007 when doctors gave her a 20 per cent chance of survival.
Seven years later she posted a brutally honest selfie of her bruised face after falling out of her wheelchair with the words “F**k cancer.” Her post went viral.
Kathryn became an ambassador for UK blood cancer nonprofit the Anthony Nolan Trust which honored the work she had done to raise awareness.
‘Endless resilience’
Chiara DeBiase, Anthony Nolan’s Assistant Director of Patient Services, said in a Facebook post: “Kathryn was a remarkable person.
“She was someone who never said no – nothing was too much trouble or too much effort for her.
“Kathryn always found a way to bring her positivity and use her endless resilience to help others.”
All Kathryn wanted to do was make it to 30 and her heartbreaking and brutally honest posts became an inspiration to so many others fighting the disease.
“All I really want to do now is get to 30 so I can hold a benefit party for myself so that I can hold a comedy gig to raise money for Anthony Nolan,” she told Birmingham Live.
“If I don’t I would like my family to [put the gig on] anyway. I am sure [the comedians] would like to do it.”
She had a a liver transplant and three bone marrow transplants all while documenting her journey and urging others to become stem cell donors.
Her death was announced on her website, alongside a drawing of Kathryn and the words: “In one of the stars I shall be living…”
She died from an “insurmountable” liver infection, the Mirror newspaper reported.
“As many of you will have realized, Kathryn has been unwell and in hospital for some weeks,” her website read.
“The infection in her liver returned and this time proved to be insurmountable. Kathryn died peacefully on Saturday 18 January with her family at her side.”
Such a cruel disease that can grip any of us at any age. Kathryn fought this disease with so much courage and honesty and has inspired so many others.
Please share to send strength and support to those around her. Rest in peace brave Kathryn.
