I am really sorry to say that she died early this morning, 3 weeks and 6 days after the Royal Marsden told her there was nothing else they could do and 6 and half years after her initial diagnosis. We had just had a lovely weekend with all of the family together in our family home and we were with her at the end.
She was a very brave, lovely lady who we will really miss. Her grandchildren were really important to her and we will make sure they remember her and the great memories she gave them.
The ovacome website was really important to her and your support and messages provided her with a great deal of strength and positivity. She specifically asked me to let you all know what happened and I would like to thank you for all the help you have provided to her (and me as I have been a silent lurker on this website for some years too!)
With much love and positive thoughts from me and my mum for your continuing journeys.
Tracey xx
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girliesmum
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Dear Tracey
I am very sorry to read of Viv's death. Some people stand out on this site and Viv was one of them. Her posts about her travels were really inspirational. Even when the going was tough she never seemed to feel sorry for herself and focussed on making the most of the life she had. I am really pleased that you managed to have some time together as a family and I hope you can all find comfort in happy memories.
Dear Tracey, What a lovely photo of you and your Mum. I felt as though she was a very dear friend although we only ever met up on Facebook or here on Health Unlocked. She was a tremendously courageous woman who didn't let a diagnosis of ovarian cancer stand in her way or stop her enjoying her life, her family and all her interests, and of always helping and caring for people other than herself.
This must be a very hard time for you and for your family and close circle. I shan't be sad. I don't think that is in the spirit of our lovely Grey Badger here on this site. I shall celebrate her life and her example and I shall treasure those thoughts and hold her up as a shining model of how I'd like to be. A fighter and a friend to the end.
My heart goes out to you all. I've been thinking of her over the weekend and had rather expected this news. I'm so glad you could enjoy the weekend at home with her and all your family.
with love, Annie xx
Very sad news, shocked it happened so quickly, viv was an inspiration to Sandra. Our condolences to the family at this sad time. Love Sandra and Paul xx
Dear Tracey, This is very sad, she was a very special lady indeed. She will be missed very much, such a fighter, and always there with words for us all. Im so glad that you all had that special time with her at the end. My thoughts are with you and the family, wishing you peace and loads of happy memories. Love Trish xx
I am devastated to hear this news. I met Viv at the Ovarian cancer meetings in Chichester Hospital. Viv was a lovely bright, funny, and beautiful lady.I will remember her with great fondness, she was and is an inspiration. I am so glad you were all together
this weekend, she always spoke of all her family with great love. My heart goes out to you all Georgiexx
So very sad to hear this news about your lovely mum Tracey. Viv was an inspiration to us all. I have followed her posts since I joined this site and felt a real fondness for her even though we never actually met - that was how she came across. We will all miss her enormously. My thoughts are with you and your family. God bless xxxxxxxxx Colette
I too am devastated to hear about the loss of your Mum. Like Georgie, I met her through the St Richards support group, where she was always so welcoming and friendly. It was she that told me about Cancerwise in Chichester, which has been a great place to get out to, get support and meet new friends that total understand. Viv was a wonderful, warm and cheerful person that will be sadly missed by everyone that knew her. My thoughts are with you all at this time.
So very sorry to hear abut this expected but very sad news, thank you so much for letting us know, this must be so hard for you to do, and I am sure Viv would be proud of you, as she trusted you to do this, I send my condolences to the family for losing a very special lady who we shall all miss. Love x G x
So sorry to hear the news about your lovely mum, Tracey. We will all miss her on this site, she was an inspiration to so many of us. Thinking of you all at this sad time. Love Linda xxxx
So sorry to hear of your mums' passing, she was a true inspiration to us all and will be so missed. Such a lovely photo for us all to remember you both. Thinking of you and your family.
So sad to hear your sad news be very proud of your lovely Mum I always read her posts, She will be pleased you posted us all to let us know. I believe we will all go to a better place and sure you will one day meet again. Your in my thoughts love to you and family.
I am so sorry to hear this sad news. Your mum really was an inspiration to all of us. Her posts were so candid regarding the barrage of treatments or procedure she was having, but she always gave the attitude that she just had to knuckle down and get on with it. She was literally 'awesome'. Vx
A beautiful photo of you and your inspring Mum Viv .So very sorry to hear that Mum has lost her fight . Viv has been part of the Ovacome family for a long while now and she will be missed so much .
Lovely photo of you & your mum, she will be sadly missed on the site. My sympathies to you & your family.
Love Sue.
Dear Tracey, Thank you for taking the time to post, what a wonderful picture of you both. A fitting tribute to Viv to see her smiling face, even at this very sad time. I am sure you and the family must be very proud, of how she fought through this disease. Always there to give a lot of time to others, which has helped many of us.
I am glad that the family was there with her,she would really have loved it all.
I am so very sad to hear of your Mum's passing. What a lovely, kind, generous-spirited, honest lady she was! I really admired her posts, always wise, showing a great sense of humour and love for her family. Please send my condolences to the family and Viv's friends. She was one of the true stars of this site....we will miss her
Sending you a big hug Tracey, your Mum was a great support to me when I first joined and I have to say I was quite upset when I read your post. I of course should have expected it but probably not so soon. Take care.
I'm so sorry to read this news, but what a great idea to post such a lovely photograph and you must be so strong to write such a lovely 'positive' sounding message. Nicola x
She was one of the first voices I heard and one of the strongest, from my own diagnosis until today. I will always remember her courage, grace, dignity and compassion. She was a very brave woman and must have been a wonderful mother. I am so sorry that she is gone. With sympathy & may God Bless all those who knew and loved your mother, Vicky XXX
Deeply saddened to hear the news. I had been thinking of you all so much this last week. Viv was the first person I had contact with, We trod the chemo path together over the years.. She was a special lady to all of us and we shall miss her But as Annie said she would not have wanted us to mope. She was too strong a person. So instead I shall celebrate her life and the memories she left us all with.
They say pictures speak a thousand words and yours certainly does. What a brilliant photo. Deepest condolences. Thank you for taking the time to post. May the wonderful memories of your Mum help you through the difficult times. Xx
Hello all, it's Mick here, Viv's husband and Tracey's dad. Many thanks for your kind comments, it is very much appreciated. Viv always kept up to date with happenings on here and always tried to be supportive to everybody, while drawing energy from the help she received. Please keep up the good work in supporting each other!
I will post on here once we have finalised the funeral arrangements
Thanks, Mick. Viv is one of the women who have made a big difference to so many lives, even out here in cyberland. There are some women's passing that have affected me deeply, Viv is one of those women. She was a true one-off. May you gain strength from all the wonderful memories you have of her. Many of us will join with you in missing her.
So very sorry to hear this news, sending love and heartfelt condolences to you and all the family.
'Grey badger' will be missed by many of us on here. I for one always looked out for her posts with interest and often found her to be a comfort. xx
I'm so sorry to read this. Viv was a truly kind and inspirational person and her posts helped me and my wife a great deal. Viv's posts were really helpful, kind and thoughtful. She will be missed a great deal by all. I send my best wishes and will be thinking of you all, this really is sad sad news. Jamie
Dear Tracey and Mick - sending you the warmest of hugs at this sad time, Viv was an inspiring and comforting friend and I will miss her posts. My thoughts are with you all xxxxx Amanda xxxxx
Dear Tracey and Mick,
We are very sad to hear that Viv has died. She was an important contributor to this site and her shared experience gave support to many other women. Viv was a very positive and engaging presence here.
Dear Tracey & Mick, This was sad news to read but Viv's smile and twinkling eyes made me smile- its a beautiful photo that says so very much. She was such a wonderful woman and has touched many people's lives. Thinking of you all, those whom she loved, at this time. Sarah xx
She was larger than life on this site and will leave a large gap. She will be missed by people she never knew as you can see from all the above. love and sorrows to you, her family. Liz
As you can see from the comments, Viv was a much valued member of our community. She will be sorely missed. Our thoughts are with you at what must be the most devastating time for your family. We hope you can take some comfort from knowing that we here share your grief.
So sorry to hear about your Mum, when my wife was alive, and when she died she sent supportive emails, i know that knowing the end was going to come, doesnt actually make it any easier when it happens, and my thoughts go out to all her family at this time. Take good care.
So sorry to hear the news. It is a sad loss to us all at Ovacome when we lose someone who inspires us to keep going. But in the spirit of the website we will carry on keeping positive and living life to the full while we can. Love xxxx
I have read many of your mum's posts and really admire her spirit and determination to enjoy life to the full. I am sorry that you have lost her now and also very glad that you were able to be together as a family at the end.
with love
Francesca x
Mick here again, with details of the funeral service. We have a private cremation, with a separate service at St Mary's church in Felpham, Bognor Regis on Friday 27th at 2pm. I know the majority of you are spread around the country (!), but if anyone is able to come they are most welcome. We will hopefully have refreshments available at a local venue afterwards - to be arranged!
Dear Mick, Thank you for posting up the details of Viv's memorial next Friday. I shall be a long way away but I shall be thinking of you and of Viv next week. with love xxx Annie
Hi, I loved your mothers code name, she will be greatly missed.
I really appreciated seeing her postings and she helped so much when it comes to dealing with this disease.
Thank you, take care. Fionai.
Dear Tracey & MIck
I'm so, so sorry. She was such a huge character on here, and every picture I've seen saw her looking happy, determined or both. Something which came through her posts - not to mention quite a lot of humour. The one above is just lovely. She was so graceful in communicating to us here that she felt she was on her way, in the past few weeks. So glad to hear that you were all there, together, to support her and each other. Not much I can say other than that - she is one who will live on here in our memories and probably be often mentioned, for a long, long time to come.
So sorry to hear your news. It's a lovely picture of you and your mum and I'm sure you have many wonderful memories of your lives together. I hope they give u some comfort over the coming months.
Tracey, thank you for letting us know, your mum and Jackie (in the pink) were a massive support for me when I was first diagnosed 4 years ago. I am so sorry for your loss, but am glad you all were there together , as she was very much a family person.
Read your message this morning and wanted to reply but unsure what to say. Late this afternoon, after much rain, there were a few rays of sunshine and I sadly thought of the passing of Greybadger today. My thoughts and prayers are with her and with all of her family. Sleep well.
I'm so sorry to read this very sad news. What a wonderful ray of light Viv was, I know for me she was a beacon of inspiration in my own journey. She has left an amazing legacy in this community, and we will all remember her with great fondness and huge respect. And what a lovely family she has created. Much love Meryl
I was so sorry to read that Viv had gone , I always read her posts and her warmth and spirit shone through in all of them. My deepest sympathy to you all . She will be truly missed , dyana xx
Dear Mick and Tracey
I'm so sorry for your loss. Viv was special, as so many have already said. She had a unique way of looking at things and was a real inspiration. What a lovely photograph.
Thank you for letting us know. I am so sorry for your lost. Your mother was a lovely lady who was extremely wise and she will be missed by everyone on this wonderful site. What a beautiful picture. Thank you for posting it. My deepest sympathy to you and your lovely family.
There is nothing that I can say that hasn't already been said. I never met her, and didn't even have that much contact with her here, but I read her posts with interest, and admired her zest for life. You can rest assured that she will be remembered!
Glad the family had a last good weekend with Viv. She was a lovely person from what I saw on this site, and very brave. Thinking of you and the family.
I joined both the Ovacome and the Macmillan websites in 2009 when my mum was diagnosed with stage 4 OC. Yes,. I too am a silent lurker! Viv was always here for others, posting about her experiences, fighting, engaged, living life to the full, and offering hope and encouragement to the rest of us. My mum died in 2011 but I kept on following Viv and hoping she was doing well. She was an amazing woman and she really helped so many people she'd never even met, including me.
My condolencies to you all at this difficult time ...
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