A ‘one of a kind’ mother-of-two who was visited at her bedside by a ‘unicorn’ to help her say goodbye to her five-year-old son has lost her battle with bowel cancer.
Sammi Fox, 29, of North Shields, Tyne and Wear, died in a hospice in Newcastle surrounded by her family in the early hours of this morning.
It came after she was given the heartbreaking news on Monday last week that there was nothing else doctors could do for her and she had only days to live.
Mother-of-two Sammi Fox (pictured), 29, was paid a visit by her favourite mystical creature at the Marie Curie Hospice in Newcastle after telling the world about her bowel cancer diagnosis
Tributes have been pouring in for Ms Fox, with Samantha Gee saying: ‘There’s only one Sammi Fox. RIP you beautiful woman, I will never, ever forget you.’
Sylvia McElvaney Rennard added: ‘Rest in paradise, Sammi Fox. You touched the heart of the nation and you will never be forgotten.’
Ms Fox was visited by a ‘unicorn’ at her hospice last week to make the heart-wrenching task of saying goodbye to her five-year-old son Bobby less painful.
Lisa Walker, from Mini Pony Hire in Cambois, Northumberland, brought Ms Fox one of her pet therapy ponies Smurf dressed as a unicorn, after reading about her story.
For the last eight months Ms Fox had been back and forth to the doctor’s with symptoms suspected to be irritable bowel syndrome or gall stones.
Lisa Walker (pictured), who works for a nearby pony sanctuary, brought Smurf to her hospice in Newcastle to try to lift Ms Fox’s spirits
Ms Fox is pictured in her hospice bed with son Bobby and two-year-old niece Brooke
But earlier this month she was told the problem was ovarian cancer with further scans revealing it was secondary to bowel cancer.
After that, doctors delivered the devastating news that she had just days to live.
Her health deteriorated so quickly that she is was moved into the Marie Curie Hospice in Newcastle, where those closest to her said their goodbyes.
And, as she put forward her funeral plan reflecting her vibrant personality, she made arrangements for her son Bobby, who has Down’s syndrome, to be cared for. She is relying on her mother, Denise, 51, to look after him.
Ms Fox, who was originally from Stockton-on-Tees, County Durham, also leaves behind her eldest son 13-year-old Kai, who lives with his dad.
Tributes to Ms Fox, from Tyne and Wear, have been pouring in on her JustGiving page today
Ms Fox is relying on her mother Denise, 51, to look after Bobby (pictured) when she has gone
But Ms Fox vowed to make sure Bobby’s birthday on December 19 and Christmas will be made special when she’s not there.
Speaking previously, her sister Kelle, 32, said: ‘She is so selfless, even though she knows she has days to live, she is making sure everyone else knows what needs doing and making plans for Bobby.
‘Her friend Patricia Thomas set up a fund to raise money for her funeral but Sammi says she wants it to also be for her boys and to make Christmas and Bobby’s birthday on December 19 special.
‘It’s heartbreaking to see her cuddle Bobby, knowing she’s not got long. Even my two-year-old daughter Brooke went to see her and said ‘are you going to be an angel like nanna?’. It’s devastating.’