Mother says kindness shown to late daughter during cancer battle will never be forgotten
The mother of a young woman who battled to be given life saving treatment has said the kindness and generosity shown to her late daughter will never be forgotten.
Alice Taylor, 26, from Ballycallan, Co Kilkenny was diagnosed with Stage 3B terminal cancer which had spread to her heart, lungs and liver last May.
Doctors told her several months ago that palliative care was the option facing her. She fought to be included on a list of women to be given the drug Pembro which could have extended her life. Alice passed away at St Vincent’s Hospital, Dublin 11 days ago.
The young woman who was a qualified social worker passed away surrounded by her parents Martin and Wendy, brothers James and William, her partner David in St Anne’s Ward.
Her mother Wendy took to the gofundme.com fundraising page to thank the public who helped to raise more than €100,000 for her daughter’s to fund her daughter’s treatment.
Mrs Taylor said: “We have sadly lost our beautiful Alice RIP. Alice had completed her fourth Pembro treatment, however, the cancer had spread in spite of this, and after spending two weeks in hospital under the loving care of her family, partner Dave and the wonderful team in the St. Ann’s Ward at Vincent’s Hospital, Alice died.
“Throughout the last year, the overwhelming support from everyone has been amazing and critical in offering hope at a time when it was most needed. The kindness of heart and generosity of everyone touched Alice, and those around her immensely.
“We appreciate the enormous amount of effort that so many of you put into helping her and supporting her partner and family throughout her illness and up to the time of her funeral.”
Mrs Taylor explained that any funds raised would be distributed to the charities which helped her much loved daughter. “The funds raised supported Alice through a very difficult time and the remaining funds will be distributed to causes and charities which supported Alice and her family.
“Alice’s resilience throughout, right up to the very end still amazed those around her. Alice was truly an inspirational and special person who touched the lives of so many.
“As Alice’s family, we are deeply heartbroken at the loss of our beautiful and gentle Alice, but feel truly blessed to have had her in our lives for 26 years and she will remain in our hearts forever.
“Her partner, Dave said, ‘I am extremely grateful for the time we had together, and I will cherish the moments we shared together for eternity.
“Being there to witness Alice’s unbelievable courage has been a massive source of strength to me and I will attempt to carry this strength with me for the rest of my life’”
Her mother added: “Alice will truly be missed, but memories of her positive spirit and caring nature will live on.
“Thank you that all she can do is worry about her boyfriend David and family and what they are going through in a bid to cope with her diagnoses.”
Never a person to give up without a fight, Alice wanted to raise €150,000 to enable her to receive the specialised treatment, via doctors in New York advising which immunotherapy drugs, would best suit her.
She had hoped to take part in further genetic testing available in New York at the Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Centre.
