A mum has died after a stomach ache she put down to food and drinks on her hen do turned out to be terminal bowel cancer.
Sam Woodcock was diagnosed with the illness just weeks before her wedding last summer before getting the devastating prognosis that there was nothing more doctors could do earlier this year.
Her death has left behind three children and her new husband.
Sam, 36, began noticing something was wrong while in Magaluf to celebrate her upcoming nuptials to husband Martyn, complaining of terrible tummy pains.
But childhood friend Natalie Graham said the mum-of-two put her stomach troubles down to her coeliac disease while eating different food abroad as well as enjoying a few drinks.
On the final day of the four-day trip, Sam, from Gloucestershire, was in so much pain she could barely speak, but was afraid to take time off work given she had just been on her hen do.
As Sam's pain spiralled, she went to A&E where doctors initially sent her away with medication for constipation, Gloucestershire Live reports.
Natalie, 35, said her friend's agony refused to subside, to the point she was being sick just by having a sip of water.
"[Doctors] gave her a CT scan which identified a 15 centimetre blockage and the next morning at 9am she was having emergency surgery," said Natalie.
"Sam was basically told after the operation she had cancer but they needed to send it off for testing."
The cancer diagnosis came just days before marrying doting husband Martyn, 41, in August.
Sam, who has sons Jayce, eight, Liam, six, and 19-year-old stepson Charlie, began chemotherapy in September.
Natalie said: "It was seen after Sam had chemotherapy, her ovaries had become enlarged and she was told it was a common side effect of chemotherapy for that to happen. However it was a secondary cancer.
"Then in December, her medical notes were sent to a private hospital in Manchester for a second opinion.
"In January she was told the cancer was growing faster than what the chemo could do to reduce it.
"She was also referred to another hospital who said they were not prepared to operate on her until she had more chemo.
"They were worried she would not make it through the operation with the cancer as it was."
In February, Sam was told the cancer was terminal. It was planned her sons would continue to live with their step father but she worried for the future of her family with one wage being brought into the family home.
"Me and another friend turned up to the hospital just minutes after Sam was given the terminal diagnosis," Natalie added.
"She said to us ‘I am going to die’."
Natalie has since set up a fundraising page for her friend's family to help cover costs as they grieve, so far raising more than £12,000.
"The first thing she was thinking about then was about her sons and Martyn having the money to bring them up," she said.
"So I said I would set up a Go Fund Me. Fundraisers have been held and a good sum of money has been donated to the page which means there will be less financial pressure for a little while."
Natalie also hopes that by raising the money it would improve awareness of the early signs of bowel cancer.
Natalie would like people to be aware of Sam's story and what happened to her. She feels there needs to be more awareness of the signs of bowel cancer.
She said: "Sam was never one to complain about anything and was very relaxed generally. She knew something was not right in her body and you need to fight if you feel you are not being heard.
"Sam was just the bravest woman."
To donate to the Go Fund Me page for Sam's children please visit here.
