A mother-of-two who openly shared her battle with cancer left a heartbreaking final message to announce her own death.
Kate Rackham, who was diagnosed with incurable oestrogen-receptive breast cancer at the age of 39, tweeted: ‘If you’re reading this, I have died but do not cry for me.’
The teacher from Morecambe, Lancashire, went on to say ‘I have lived my life on my own terms, the way I have wanted to’.
During her brave battle against the deadly disease she shared updates with her 22,000 followers and helped to set up the Fighting to be Heard charity to raise awareness about the condition.
She is survived by her husband Mark, and her two children, Nancy, nine, and Ruby, 11.
Her agonising final message yesterday morning read: ‘If you’re reading this, it means I have died.
Mother-of-two Kate Rackham wrote a heartbreaking final message to announce her own death.
Mrs Rackham was diagnosed with incurable oestrogen-receptive breast cancer at the age of 39
In her final post she wrote ‘If you’re reading this, I have died but do not cry for me. I have lived my life on my own terms, the way I have wanted to’
‘But do not cry for me. I have lived my life on my own terms, the way I have wanted to.
‘I joined X because I needed an outlet, what I got was so much more.
‘You made me feel validated in my feelings and much less alone. Thank you.’
Her husband Mark Rackham announced her death on social media, writing: ‘I am incredibly sad to have to tell you all that Kate died yesterday around 1.25pm.
‘She was peaceful at the end and as per her wishes she was surrounded by me, her sister Caroline, her mum Christine, my mum Angela and Rev Huw performing Last Rites prayers. Brian, her stepdad, rushed off to get Ruby and Nancy who arrived moments after she had gone to say goodbye.
‘She wanted to say that she lived her life exactly how she wanted to, and had done and achieved almost everything that she aimed for. From her, me and the rest of the family thank you all for your continued loving support.’
Kate was a Year 3 teacher at St Joseph’s RC Primary School in Reddish. Paying tribute to her, the school released a statement that recognised her ‘remarkable fight’ against the disease.
It read: ‘Kate put up a remarkable fight against cancer, defying all the medical prognosis and fought right until the end. I saw Kate last week, who remained determined and in positive spirits, as always.
‘Staff are understandably devastated and we know that many of our families and children will be too.
‘We have arranged to speak to the children on Monday with Father Damien and some bereavement counsellors present, should any chidren get upset. You may also want to discuss this with your child at home.
‘I know that Kate was overwhelmed by the support that she received from our families for the staff sponsored walk back in March and I want to thank you for that.’
Thousands of tributes have poured in on social media since her death was announced including from Nicola Nuttall, whose daughter Laura died of brain cancer at the age of 23.
She wrote: ‘Heartbroken that we’ve lost this truly incredible woman.
‘Kate really knew how to live, she wanted to come up Pendle but wouldn’t wait for better weather because she knew better than anyone the value of a single day. We nearly got blown off but it was brilliant, so glad we met.’
Mrs Rackham previously told the BBC her diagnosis came as a ‘massive shock’ and spoke of her ‘massive’ struggles with hair loss while going through chemotherapy.
‘It’s really hard losing your hair. It’s not just losing your hair, it’s losing your eyelashes and eyebrows as well,’ she told BBC Radio 5 Live.
Thousands of tributes have poured in on social media since her death was announced. She helped to set up the Fighting to be Heard charity to raise awareness about the condition
She last gave an update on her health on June 7 in which she apologised for the ‘lack of communication’
‘That’s the difference between looking like you are rocking a bald head and looking like you are on chemotherapy.’
She last shared a health update on June 7 in which she apologised for her ‘lack of communication recently’.
‘And then hearing the words, “there is nothing more we can do”,’ she wrote. ‘I needed a bit of time.’
She added: ‘I’m now home, where I want to be. With Mark [her husband] and the girls. Surrounded by love, family and friends. Everyone is rallying around and I have so much support. Despite everything I feel blessed.’
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