Anna was a gentle, emphatic, loving, courageous, and caring soul with a true warriors heart. She had a passion for life and for animals, which she saw as her equals.

Listen to Anna's Light on Spotify

She was a loyal and thoughtful friend. One of her greatest pleasures was choosing the perfect and meticulously thought-out present for those she loved.

Anna wanted to work with animals in some capacity when she was an adult. She adored performing arts and was an avid Harry Potter fan. She could do a mean impersonation of Dobby, her favourite character.

Anna was a happy, carefree child who adored life and lived each day with love in her heart. When she was diagnosed in March 2009, at 7 years old, with a grade 4 malignant brain tumour, medulloblastoma, along with hydrocephalus, as a family we were devastated.

Anna was rushed to the Royal Belfast Hospital for Sick Children, and her condition had to be stabilised with steroids before she underwent an 11-hour operation, under the expertise of a neurosurgeon, Mr. McAuley and his team. He skilfully removed as much of the tumour as was safely possible. Anna did however have to learn to walk again, having lost power down her left side. She sustained severe balance issues and eyesight problems due to pressure on the optic nerve.

When Anna left intensive care, she was cared for in a high dependency ward and we were taken under the wing of the oncology team, in the shape of Dr McCarthy and his team. Six weeks after her operation Anna was given six weeks of radiation therapy at the City Hospital, under the care of Dr Harney and her radiography team, alongside a weekly chemotherapy injection.

On completion, Anna endured another year of chemotherapy. She sustained major radiation damage to her pituitary gland, resulting in the need for further ongoing endocrine treatment. The radiation also resulted in radiation alopecia at the back of Annas skull, meaning she would require a wig in order to feel more like herself. The chemotherapy damaged her hearing and she had long term nausea, along with a plethora of ongoing issues post treatment.

Anna went on to obtain her GCSEs, received a learner of the year 2018 award for Occupational Studies, Design and Creativity Level Two from CCEA, and went on to technical college to study performing arts to help build her confidence, and lead the way to her first love of caring for animals.

Tragedy struck again however, when after falling ill and being admitted into hospital on two separate occasions. After undergoing another series of medical tests, we received the news on 4th June 2019, on her eldest sisters birthday, that Annas cancer had returned, but this time had spread to her spine and bodily organs. Palliative care was all that was available to her, as the cancer had advanced to end stage.

We spent the months ahead doing everything in our power to slow the spread down and to give Anna as much quality of life as was in our power to do so. Anna received the best medical support and loving care possible.

She insisted on finishing as much of her course, despite her illness, as she could manage. With the help of her tutors, she managed to get her performing arts diploma and went on a trip to London with her classmates. She also got to experience interacting with exotic animals, courtesy of Ballymoney Technical College and Caseys Creatures. She celebrated her 18th birthday with close friends and as a family we went to the Warner Brother Studios and did the Harry Potter tour.

Thanks to her wonderful Cancer Fund for Children Specialist and confidant Helen Patterson, Anna had trips to the Donkey Sanctuary and Grand Opera House.

By the time the covid pandemic was in full swing, Anna was unable to leave home. She was in excruciating pain but always tried to keep her spirits up. She fought her illness valiantly and with dignity and we managed to keep her home, against all odds, with medical support.

Anna passed away peacefully, enveloped in love, on 7th August 2020, age 18 years old.

Cancer Fund for Children made themselves known to us when Anna was first diagnosed with cancer. As a family we were incredibly grateful for this. We were supported by their Cancer Support Specialists who came to offer Anna care and support at home. This service not only provided Anna with time to have fun and be creative, but also gave me time to myself that much needed me time that can be forgotten.

When Anna relapsed at the age of 17, she was taken under the wing of Helen Patterson from the charity. Helen became an anchor and incredible support for us all. Helen went above and beyond as she walked Anna through some very tough times. When the pandemic hit, Helen found some innovative and relatable ways to continue to support Anna, bring laughter and joy regardless.

After Anna passed, I knew I needed to create something to keep her memory and all she stood for alive. Her fortitude, humbleness and bravery were unique and profound.

Anna's Light is written and produced by local artist Rebekah Fitch. I worked alongside Rebekah to create meaningful lyrics which express what Anna means to me.

You can listen to Anna's Light on Spotify here.

I hope when people here the lyrics that they will be lifted and supported, having the awareness that no matter how hard and cruel this journey can is, there is always light. I hope that the light Anna was inspires people to never, ever give up, to see the beauty even through the darkness, and know that they are never alone. Even after losing a precious loved one, we get to feel and see them in everything around us. For a soul lives on forever and we are always connected by love. Somehow you have to surrender, let go and trust the journey.