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Daily Mirror
Daily Mirror
Entertainment
Victoria Johns

Cheryl recalls poignant final days with Sarah Harding ahead of Girls Aloud reunion

Cheryl has recalled the precious last days she spent with Sarah Harding as Girls Aloud get ready for a reunion.

Sarah tragically lost her life aged just 39 when she lost her battle with breast cancer in 2021.

In her honour, Sarah's bandmates will host a fundraising gala in October and now Cheryl has spoken about her final moments with her friend.

Admitting she could only do "surface-level stuff" when Sarah told her about her diagnosis, the mum-of-one revealed she gave her friend luxury care packages she 'knew she'd enjoy'.

However, confessing she "didn't feel helpful", Cheryl continued: "In the days leading up to the last time we would meet, Sarah came to spend a few days with me. She spoke so highly of and with such gratitude for those who had helped her through her medical journey. She was so grateful!

Cheryl has paid tribute to her friend Sarah Harding (Getty Images)

"I asked her over and over again how we could help. Was there anything she truly wanted or needed? Finally she said to me: 'I would love you to create an evening, a gala of some kind for me. If I am here and can attend I will be able to thank those who have helped me through all of this,'" reports Vogue.

Sadly, that was the last time Cheryl, 39, would see her friend as eight weeks later, Sarah died.

Girls Aloud are now aiming to fund a study lead by the late star's oncologist to try and find out why so many women are dying from breast cancer so young.

Sarah died aged just 39 in 2021 (@kimberleywalshofficial/Instagram)

In the meantime, the band is getting ready to reunite in honour of their friend next month.

Cheryl, Nadine Coyle, 37, Nicola Roberts, 36 and Kimberley Walsh, 40 will host the Primrose Ball at the Londoner hotel on October 8.

The charity gala in central London will raise funds for the Christie NHS Foundation Trust and Cancer Research UK, as part of the Sarah Harding Breast Cancer Appeal.

Sarah's bandmates are reuniting in her honour (Getty Images)

While the event will be hosted by Girls Aloud - who were formed in 2002 on Pop Stars: The Rivals - it will be presented by Fearne Cotton, 41, with Johnny Gould hosting a live auction.

Speaking about the gala, the band said: "Our hope is to raise a huge amount of money that will hopefully prevent other people finding themselves in the same terrifying situation Sarah found herself in."

The Sarah Harding Breast Cancer Appeal aims to fund research to identify new ways to predict which young women, with no family history of breast cancer, are likely to develop the disease, ensuring people can be identified earlier when treatment is more likely to be successful.

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