Thanks for taking the time to visit my Just Giving page.  This page is set up in memory of my twin sister Dawn Martin who was so cruelly robbed of half her life at the tender age of 41, this is her story.

My sister became ill in July 2015 with severe abdominal pain.  The cause of the pain couldn't be found and by December 2015 her stomach was swelling, she had lost weight and was still getting severe intermittent pain.  She was sent for a blood test in January 2016 including a tumour marker test which showed she had cancer.  A CT scan confirmed a 12cm tumour in her stomach which had already metastasized to the abdominal lining and liver. A subsequent biopsy confirmed a very rare cancer called neuro-endocrine carcinoma.  She went into hospital to have her stomach drained and developed septicaemia.  She somehow survived but was too poorly to receive any chemotherapy. She went to Halton Haven hospice and between the wonderful staff, the family's care and Dawn's bravery and determination she fought back to some kind of health.  We tried all kinds of herbal remedies, if you've read about it we tried it!  She seemed to be improving but suddenly started deteriorating again.  She was so determined to lead a normal life and recently wanted to go for the weekend in my cousin's caravan in Towyn.  She made the caravan but we ended up staying for the week as she was rushed into hospital twice, once with critical hemoglobin levels and then with critical potassium levels.  She pulled through again and we got her home in an ambulance. We managed her care at my mums where she was under the district nurses, who were also fantastic, but in the last couple of days her pain became too difficult to manage and she went back to the Haven where she died on 16th May.  Her life was a living hell for the last 4 months, she endured several blood transfusions, IV fluids, all kinds of antibiotics, countless injections, picc lines, syringe drivers and drains and she picked herself up and carried on every time until she couldn't cope any longer. She lived for her children and was no longer able to do the things she wanted with them. The Haven gave her a sanctuary where she felt safe and looked after and the staff looked after her like she was their own daughter.  In the last two days we would never have coped without them and it is reassuring to know this care is available for people when they are faced with such a physically and emotionally challenging situation in their lives.

Dawn will be remembered with such love by all who new her, a brave, determined lady who lived for her family and was thinking of others before herself right up to the last minute.

She once told me everything happens for a reason and sometimes we may never know what that reason is.  We will never understand why our beautiful sister, mum, daughter, wife, niece and auntie was taken from us but she will live on in our hearts every day in everything we do xx