Mum of cancer blogger Lisa Magill tells of heartache at her passing

The heartbroken mother of a Co Antrim native who died this week of terminal cancer has shared her daughter's last message to the world online.
Picture of Lisa and her mum Geraldine shortly before her passingPicture of Lisa and her mum Geraldine shortly before her passing
Picture of Lisa and her mum Geraldine shortly before her passing

Courageous 34-year-old Lisa Magill - who lived in Antrim before emigating to Australia with her family - started a cancer blog, Terminally Fabulous, after she was disgnosed.

She won admiration around the world for her searingly honest account of coping with the illness in her blog.

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No subject was off limits to Lisa, who was diagnosed with a rare, incurable form of stomach cancer when she was 30-years-old.

On March 12 her mother Geraldine posted on the Terminally Fabulous blog: "Hi all, Last night at 11.50 our gorgeous girl was wrapped in the wings of an angel and joined her friends and family in heaven. Lisas passing was so peaceful, slipping away in her sleep without pain nor fear, just as we'd all prayed for and more importantly just as Lisa had wanted it. Her wee room was calmly lit with her rock lamp, her music had been playing and we'd held her hand and talked to her throughout the day, I just knew it was time."

A later post on the site reveals her funeral will be held on Saint Patrick's Day: "I just wanted to let you know our gorgeous girl will be laid to rest on Friday 17th March (St Patrick's Day). Lisa returns home on Wednesday to spend her last couple of days with our family."

And today, in another post on the site, her mother writes: "Hi all, Our gorgeous girl came home this morning and looks absolutely beautiful. It's hard to believe that Lisa has been in battle for 5yrs, she looks like she's been at a Health Resort for a few weeks. Our own wee sleeping beauty.

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"It's difficult to describe how I'm feeling since Lisa's passing. I'm relieved she's at peace and even though we've been expecting it, I'm also a little shocked, probably due to Lisa's amazing ability to turn a corner when she was staring death in the face. "

Lisa and her mum GeraldineLisa and her mum Geraldine
Lisa and her mum Geraldine

Louise Magill - a cousin - from Randalstown, Co Antrim, has told of her "devastation" even though the family knew Lisa's death was inevitable.

She said Lisa's blog gave everyone a "a true insight into her life, her feelings, how she coped".

"As time went on in her blogs she started talking about death more while still keeping the humour we knew and loved. But slowly, over time she was becoming more weak and her pain was increasing. She documents it all," she added.

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Ms Magill said her cousin "was so brave, but dying scared her". "In her blog she joked she didn't want to miss out on anything. She was becoming weaker and weaker and went back into palliative care again. Shortly before that she had a blog where she talks about people she became friends with and so many had now passed on. It really brought it home to her I think," she added.

Lisa with her mum Geraldine and dadLisa with her mum Geraldine and dad
Lisa with her mum Geraldine and dad

She said that from the 'Terminally Famulous' blog her cousin has become "Eternally Fabulous".

"We take comfort in the many thousands of people whose life she touched with her blog," she said. "It's still not easy. You think of one thing And the tears start again."

On Friday a group people who knew Lisa are set to leave flowers at the estate she had lived in, in Antrim town.Everyone attending is asked to wear yellow or a yellow accessory which is the colour of scaroma.

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