A GRIEVING Aylesbury family says it has been overwhelmed by the response to a 24-hour fundraising appeal in memory of a tragic mum.
Relatives of Nicola Paine, who was just 42 when she died from cancer, launched an ambitious bid to raise £1,000 in the 24 hours before her funeral.
A whopping £2,683 was raised for the Florence Nightingale Hospice, where the mother of two was cared for.
Her son, Jay Yerby, 22, told the Herald: “I know she’d have wanted this.
“Before she died we spoke about fundraising, and she said she wanted money to go to the hospice.
“They really did help her.”
On Friday, the family set up an online page for donations in Nicola’s memory, and on Saturday an impressive £370 was collected at her wake.
Mr Yerby continued: “She was in and out of the hospice, they were really, really helpful.
“I think it deserves a lot of recognition.
“It’s a lot of money that we’re hoping to raise, but we think we can do it.”
Paying tribute to his mother, Mr Yerby said: “She was literally fighting until her last breath. I was holding her hand when she died.
“She was lovely.”
Nicola had been diagnosed with bowel cancer two years before she died, and learned 12 months later that the disease had spread to her ovaries.
She was told in May last year that her condition was terminal.
She died at her Eaton Road home on January 31.
Her son said: “It was her birthday in August, we were fully aware it was terminal, so we threw her a big party.
“We knew we were saying goodbye.”
She leaves behind son Jay and daughter Liane, 14, both pictured here with a photograph of their mother.
Friends and family of Nicola left a number of touching online messages ahead of her funeral, which was held at Amersham Crematorium.
Julie Eggleton wrote: “So wonderful that you are doing this, Nicci would be very proud.”
And Stephen and Rachel Winter wrote: “Nici you were a little shining star at school ...you continue to shine on in our memories and hearts.”
Lorraine Wilson wrote: “Precious friends are hard to find, but we had that with you.”
To donate to the campaign, go to {http://www.justgiving.com/nicolapaine|www.justgiving.com/nicolapaine|http://www.justgiving.com/nicolapaine}
