Pendle99 : Farewell to Penny

[Lindaura]

Dear friends, sisters and fellow warriors,

It is with a very heavy heart that I must tell you all that my friend Penny lost her battle with Ovarian Cancer last Monday, 20 of January.

Her dear husband Johnny was kind enough to call me that day to let me know that she had passed away. He told me that Penny had asked him to let me know, which was so very sweet of her.

She died that morning, at home, surrounded by her husband and two children, aged 14 and 18.

I have been too heartbroken to post such tragic news, especially as so many of us are currently struggling, but today I finally felt strong enough to let you all know.

Penny was a vibrant member of this forum, up until this past fall, when she knew she was losing the battle.

Hers was an especially virulent and relentless cancer that no treatment could stop for long.

Since being diagnosed in November of 2017, when she was only 48, she has never been out of treatment, suffering through Carbo/taxol and Avastin, then Carbo/Caelyx, straight into weekly taxol.

I met her through this forum when we discovered that we both lived in Bath and had the same Oncologist.

We met up for tea and I found her to be upbeat and very sweet. We met up at the Hospital, too, just before I joined the DICE trial, but it pained me that she was suffering from ascites and a nasty pleural effusion during her last treatment, although she was still upbeat and encouraging about my treatment.

We kept in touch through Christmas, but I knew she was too ill to post on the forum and too ill to travel to seek a trial or even a second opinion, and finally she spent two weeks in Dorothy House before returning home to be with her young family.

Her husband told me that although she knew she was not going to make it, she remained upbeat and planned a lovely Farewell Ceremony in the beautiful countryside surrounding Bath, at the Natural Burial Meadow near Midford for 1pm, 3 if February.

If anyone wishes to attend, her husband has left me his email. Private message me for details.

I am so sorry to be the bearer of such sad news.

Love to you all,

Hugs,

Laura

[Lyndy]

I am sad to read this Laura... I remember Penny posting on here and I am glad she found you for support alongside her family. Just hate losing any one from this lovely group. ❤️

[Lindaura in reply to Lyndy]

It made me so sad. She was far too young to die, but her cancer was just unstoppable.

It’s awful, and of course, it reminds us that we are only living in borrowed time.

What a tragedy...

X

[Beauxbelle]

Dear Laura,

This is truly another sad post. Over these past 3 years I have come to hate what this awful disease does to those of you who have it. 💔💔

Sending love and hugs

Barbara (Yoshbosh’s Mum)

[Lindaura in reply to Beauxbelle]

Thank you Barbara,

It is just too awful and sad to see our brave sisters succumb to this wretched disease.

You were a good mum and a good friend to all of us.

Hugs,

Laura

[Katmal-UK]

Such very sad news. My heart goes ou t to Penny's husband and children. Please pass on my condolences Laura. Another Teal Angel taken so young. Xx Sleep tight Penny xx

[Lindaura in reply to Katmal-UK]

So hard to write this and answer you.

It’s too sad,

[Hidden]

Life is very cruel...........my sincerest condolences. 😥

[Solange]

Oh Laura, how sad. Poor Penny, and how utterly heart breaking for her poor husband and children. Thank you for letting us know . Please would you pass on my heartfelt sympathy to her family.

Love and a big hug to you too on losing a dear friend,

Solange 😢Xxx

[Lindaura]

Thank you.

[mrstadpole]

I am so sorry to hear the news about Penny.

Dorothy House is such a wonderful Hospice. When I lived in Bradford On Avon I became a volunteer there until I moved to The Cotswolds a couple of years ago. Not long after that I was diagnosed with OC. Ann xx

[Mptelesca]

Dearest Laura, I am so deeply saddened for your loss. I know this must have been so hard for you to share. Thank you.

My deepest and sincerest condolences to Penny’s family. Way too young to lose a mom or anyone.

She is an angel now and will always be on her children’s shoulder.

Marisa

[Lizz49]

Oh I’m so sorry to read this news, it’s so unfair and heartbreaking for her young family. I remember Penny posting on here and despite everything she was enduring she seemed so upbeat and with a sense of humour.

Thanks Laura for sharing the sad news and huge hugs to you,

Liz Xx

[Alifit]

Thank you for letting us know this sad news Laura. I’m sending my love to you and Penny’s family.

Ali x

[MH500]

So so sad, fly high with the angels Penny xx

[Lizchips]

Thank you Laura, very sad news.im in the US, but please send my condolences and prayers for her family. God Speed, Love Liz

[LittleSan]

So very sad to hear of Penny's passing. Please pass on my condolences to her family. It must be so hard to leave young children. Heartbreaking.

Big hug to you Laura. It hits hard when you lose our fellow OC friends. 💐😘

[TarbonNZ]

I’m son sorry Laura. I did not know Penny, but for someone so young to leave early is heartbreaking, and very close to home for everyone in this group no matter the age. I am sure you will pass on the condolences of everyone in this band of teal sisters. RIP Penny.

[Cropcrop]

Thank you Laura for letting us know. My heart goes out to her family and friends, yourself included and I send sincerest condolences to you all. Fly high lovely Penny at peace 🦋❤️Xx Jane

[Barmycharm]

I’m so very sorry Laura. How devastating for Pennys family to lose her at such a young age. My heart goes out to them. I feel so upset and I didn’t know her at all so can only imagine how you are feeling. Sending my love and hugs to you and her familyClaire xxx

[Hidden]

So sorry to hear about Penny. Sincerest condolences to her family and friends.

Janet

[Spirit22]

So very sad to hear this news , so heartbreaking for such a young family . I didn’t know her but my sincere condolences to you her family and friends love Lesley

[Levanah]

I’m so sorry to read this sad news Laura. Sending so much love your way and also to Penny’s loved ones ♥️ xxx

[Coldethyl]

Thank you for letting us know - so sad - condolences to her family and to you on losing a friend - this disease can be relentless and sometimes it is hard to be part of a community where people leave us but it is the sense of a shared suffering and the understanding and compassion found on here that so often sustains is through our own difficult times - glad that she was surrounded by those she loved and who loved her x

[Hidden]

So sorry to hear about Penny. My condolences to her family and friends.

Fly high teal angel 🦋 xx

[Neona]

This is so sad- I am very sorry. Sending condolences to her family and friends.RIP lovely lady.

[fendweller]

What a wonderful lady ,she clearly prepared her family for her passing , so brave , my heart goes out to her husband ,children family and friends , sending love to all .xx

[Maxjor]

Sending condolences through you Laura and so sad for her family, you and her other friends and all of us who knew her or remember her posts. Gentle hugs to all and hope her family will be OK. The kids are so young to lose their mother (not that its good at any age but they are so young). oxoxox Judy

[Zssu]

Condolences. Her humour and courage was a beacon to us all, rest in blissful peace Penny. Your time with us was so short but will be treasured by many.

[avid]

Another teal sister has gained her wings. My thoughts and prayers are with you,her husband and children who have lost their Mum way too soon.

[ellseybellsey]

This disease is so cruel, please pass on my sincere condolences to her husband and family.

Fly high teal sister 🦋🦋🦋

Ellsey

[Lindaura]

I just want to thank everyone for your condolences and kind words for Penny and her family.

It makes me too sad to thank everyone individually.

But I did want to let everyone know of her passing, no matter how hard this was for me to face.

Thanks to you for your understanding.

Love to you all,

Laura

[thomas62]

Another sad loss for us all. Condolences to Penny's family.

Gwen

[Cheryl4677]

Thanks for letting us know. It hurts every time we hear of another of our teal sisters losing the battle. I like the idea of a Farewell Ceremony and back to nature. Remembering we’re part of this circle of life. Condolences and blessings to Penny’s family.

🦋

Cheryl x

[ShropshireJo]

Such sad news about Penny. My heart goes out to her husband and children and to her friends. Thank you for letting us know Laura. Jo 🌹

[jenny8c]

Thank you for conveying such sad news so beautifully Laura. My heart goes out to Penny’s family and friends, it is doubly hard to loose one of our teal sisters at such a young age. My thoughts will be with you all at her Farewell Ceremony next month. xxxx

[Welshandproud]

Thank you for letting us know. That is so very sad. Please pass on our condolences to her family.

[Hidden]

😢💔🕊⭐️🌈

[picky1234]

So very sad to hear the news about Penny. My heart goes out to her husband and young family.......xx

[Flamingobeef18]

So sorry to hear of such sad news. It is heart breaking to think of her young family having this dreadful loss. Such a very cruel disease.

Juliax

[Heatherslade]

So sorry to here of the passing of someone who is so young with a young family too. So unfair. My thoughts are with her family and she obviously coped very bravely until the end. Yes as mentioned before a cruel disease

xx

[Mrsmerlot]

Sorry to hear this sad news, but I am holding on to the words ‘she remained upbeat’ to the end. Such a wonderful gift to her family and all who knew her. X

[mupash]

LAURA,

I'M SO SORRY TO HEAR THIS SAD NEWS. I'M YOUR AGE AND ETHNICITY. I GUESS WE'RE CHOSEN FOR THE BRAC GENE AS WELL AS ALL THE OTHER GOODIES. BUT WHEN I HEAR ABOUT YOUNGER PEOPLE STRICKEN WITH THIS IT'S JUST WORSE.

TRAGIC!