A mum-of-six has died of cervical cancer aged just 33, after suffering an anaphylactic shock during chemotherapy.
Leanne Hattersley died on October 20 at the Douglas Macmillan Hospice in Stoke on Trent after being diagnosed with stage three cervical cancer in December.
She had been on repeated trips to the doctors with pain in her right leg and irregular bleeding before her condition was spotted.
Leanne from Blurton undertook chemotherapy, but during the treatment went into anaphylactic shock and was given radiotherapy for five weeks as an alternative.
The young mum was then struck down with coronavirus and hospitalised with sepsis half-way through her treatment.
In June she was told that the cancer had spread to her bladder and that it was then terminal.
She is survived by her six children Aimee Hattersley, 13, Daniel Hattersley, 11, Olivia Hattersley, 10, Hollie Wallbanks, nine, Macauley Wallbanks, eight, and Mila-Mae Hattersley, four.
Her devastated niece Chloe Pepper has paid tribute to the single mum who took Chloe in and raised her from the age of 11.
Chloe, 18, told Stoke-on-Trent Live : "Leanne had six children and raised me since I was 11, she's really like my mum.
"She fought to the very end, she was absolutely amazing. Everything was about the children, they were always her main priority, they meant absolutely everything to her.
"She never complained about life, she just got on with it. She loved getting stuck in with the kids, everything was about them.
"She did have struggles but she always made sure we didn't know. We never saw her cry except when she was in pain, she was always putting a brave face on for us.
"She was a dedicated mum to her kids and to me."
When Leanne, who worked as a chef at Hanley's Burger King, was diagnosed with cancer in December, Chloe became Leanne's and her children's full-time carer.
Chloe says she was determined to repay her auntie for everything she had done for her.
Chloe said: "When Leanne became ill in December I was her full time carer and the children's full time care.
"Social services were involved to assist me and I was still at college full time.
"I had to get the kids up, give them breakfast and take them to school. I'd then go to college and I'd leave early to pick them up and bring them home and make their tea and give them a bath.
"I'd then do some college work and I would also be helping Leanne to get dressed and with her medication.
"Leanne took me in and looked after me, that's what she was like and I've lived with her ever since.
"She felt so helpless and I said to her you did it for me back then when I had nothing, looking after me, and now I'm going to do it for you.
"All she wanted to do was put a wash on, hoover and hug the kids, but she couldn't and she absolutely hated it."
In August Leanne deteriorated and went to live at the Douglas Macmillan Hospice.
Leanne's eldest daughter Aimee went to live with her father and her other children were placed into foster care.
Chloe says she speaks to the children on the phone every day and regularly visits them for days out.
She said: "I don't see them every day but I do speak to them on the phone every day talking about Leanne and their memories.
"She used to take the children to the Fun Factory in Fenton. Leanne's best friend Katie and I went to pick the children up and we took them there as they hadn't been since their mum got ill and they were talking about everything she used to do. They're doing really well."
A GoFundMe page has been set up to help raise money for Leanne's funeral.
Chloe added: "I want to thank everyone for donating.
"Every time I try to tell people about Leanne I always end up laughing because that's what she made everyone do. She'd walk in the room and everyone would laugh, she was the joker in every place she went to.
"Everyone remembers Leanne for her laugh, you could hear it from a mile away and know it was her. She was always laughing, always cracking jokes, always making sure everyone got anything before her.
"She would be there for anyone when they needed it, you could text her and she's drop everything and be there. Leanne had a really difficult life, but she still put on a brave face every single day.
"She was my biggest inspiration because of everything she'd been through. She had similar experiences to me growing up and I looked up to her that she could get on with it and I want to be that strong."
