Friends plead for financial support for funeral of cancer awareness advocate Tina Potts
Friends of a terminally-ill mum-of-two who has passed away after meeting her music idols, Take That, are pleading with the public for financial support to help with her funeral costs.
Band member, Mark Owen, went out of his way to ensure he met Tina Potts, from Ballyguile, Co Wicklow last April at the 3Arena. She passed away surrounded by her family at St Vincent’s Hospital on Wednesday.
Despite being bed ridden in hospital, 40-year-old Tina, who had ovarian cancer, summoned the energy and with the approval of her medical team, saw her favourite band live in concert for one last time.
Tina given a 30% chance of living until Christmas as she bravely fought the silent female killer.
Her cancer was diagnosed at a late stage due to suffering symptoms, which included fatigue, bloating, bowel changes and a build-up of fluid in her abdomen.
She had been urging women to get themselves checked out by medics for peace of mind. Tina married her long-time partner Johnny in March on Daffodil Day - a national fundraising day for cancer research.
Now her friends Patrice Murphy and Laura Ryan have revealed that because her husband Johnny stopped working to look after Tina in her final months, he desperately needs help to cover her funeral costs.
Patrice said: "Our beautiful friend has lost her long battle with cancer and this morning she grew her wings.
“So many people helped on here (gofundme.com) to make her dream come true to marry her life long partner and best friend Johnny but I’m asking for one more small favour.
With Johnny no longer working so he could help care for Tina and the boys, it makes funeral costs so much harder to meet. So I’m hoping if any friends would have a couple of euro we can all rally around and help the family at such a difficult time. Thank you.
Her friends are hoping to raise €5,000 to cover costs.
Close friend Laura said:
We feel bad for having to ask for help from the public for her funeral costs but Johnny really needs our help now and we want to honour Tina’s memory.
The Mum, who was permanently confined to a wheelchair due to her crippling illness, had bought standing tickets for the, Take That concerts, prior to becoming so unwell but found out that the disability section in the 3Arena was full.
Cancer awareness advocate Vicky Phelan also rowed in calling on concert and venue management to help Ms Potts.
Thanks to Laura, whom she met while standing in a queue to see them on RTÉ’s Late Late Show decades ago, her devastation about not being able to go turned to utter excitement as concert promoters MCD turned her standing tickets to wheelchair accessible, following a successful Twitter campaign.
The band made contact with her to say singer Mark Owen wanted to meet with her.
Mrs Potts remains are to be cremated in a private ceremony with funeral arrangements still being finalised.
