Goodbye Candygirl

Just to let everyone know that Emma died peacefully early on the morning of February 5th 2004 with her family there. This picture was taken last Thursday as we walked down by the Thames at London Bridge following a bout of shoe window shopping...She was tempted by some furry boots but felt they were a little extravagant. Candygirl was a tough cookie till the end...telling us off for being upset and ordering the nurses around.

This blog was one of the things that made her happy over the last few months. She loved getting everyone's posts as I know you loved reading hers. It would be great if people would like to post their thoughts. I know Emma would have liked to thank you all for your words and support.

We love you Em and will miss you so much.

Meroë, Colin, Linda, Ernest and Rob

Comments

[Kate and Michael Fry]

Emma, we wish we'd the chance to meet you.

It's hot here tonight in Australia and the moon was high and red in the sky. We will help to look after Ernest and Linda for you.

Sweet dreaming.

Kate and Michael

[David Morris]

My deepest condolences for all the family. Wishing the best for all of you.

[claus]

what a strange place - the internet?

you find blogs by reading "recently updated list" and hook on to them because they are a fascinating or a strange or a marvellous read. just like emma's blog. i mean, i never met emma, nor did i "know" emma, i hardly read emma for more than a month and still i can feel the loss. reading her blog was (is and will be) such an inspiration.

what a great place - the internet!

my condolences go out to her family and friends.

[Sean Solley]

The sad news left us with a profound sense of loss. I recall the times spent with Emma and I am reminded of those wonderful occasions spent with our closest friends, exploring the amazing things that life had to offer.

We discovered great places and did cool things. Emma taught me to browse the internet and patiently cycled around the ruins of Greek Thompson in the Glasgow rain.

We plundered the flea markets of Berlin, where Emma found "that" fur coat. I was relieved when she bought it because I was convinced it would follow us home anyway.
We infiltrated the Berliner Scene and, years later, drank Champagne at the Café Einstein.

Katrin, Luisa, Hannah and I have lost a very special friend and our thoughts are with you all.

Sean xxx

[Jean]

Read the orbituary yesterday and read her amazing blog. What a wonderful and gutsy young woman! How proud of her everyone who knew must be! I'm wearing pink today just for her!

[Adrian]

I heard the news about Emma yesterday and it has made me so desperately sad.

My memories of Emma go back to 79-80 when we were both at Stonehill & Longslade schools. She was a beautiful, intelliigent girl, who was wise beyond her years. She had this wonderful, infectious enthusiasm for life that affected everyone around her. She shared her love of music with me that I still have to this day.

I feel so fortunate that were able to make contact again via friends reunited.

Last Night I had a drink for Emma,played some old songs that I remembered she liked. It was a pleasure and a privilege to have a known her, even for a short time so many years ago

Adrian

[Eleashka]

I did not know Emma, but i have been deeply touched by her journal. Thankyou Leicester Mercury, for having Emma on your front page if it wasn't for you i would never have came across this amazing diary.

My condolences go out to all her family and friends.

[Helen Wing]

Candygirl - you were an inspiration, why did I not make more effort to get back in touch?

I was at school with Emma (St John's, back then I was Helen Hind) and she and I were very firm friends. We spent many hours at each other houses and I just remember it being the best fun.

I can't even remember when we lost touch. I think it was just going to different secondary schools and off to University we just drifted apart as can so easily happen.

Emma contacted me via friends reunited at the end of 2001 and she sounded just like the old Em, could even remember when my birthday was (and sadly my Duran Duran obsession - some things are just best forgotten!). I did send off a hasty reply with a vague suggestion of getting together as she had recently moved to London. I will regret not following that up for some time.

Hearing the news of her illness and death has been a real shock to me today, it makes you realise how the minutiae of life that occupies so much of your waking thought can distract you from the things that really matter.

My heart goes out to family and friends who have lost a fantastic, funny, warm girl who is clearly an inspiration to many, many people.

I do hope last Thursday really was the celebration of her life she so richly deserved.

Love and best wishes

Helen
X

[Hala]

Emma is truly an inspiration!! God bless her - and the loved ones she leaves behind, who can take strength from the fact that they were lucky to have encountered such a wonderful person as Candygirl, albeit for a short time. I read her diary in The Guardian and wept at the end. It made me pick up the phone and tell my husband I loved him and thanked him for everything (he thought I was hormonal:) Emma's diary has hit me like a ton of bricks - I just thought, I moan about workloads, the weather, money etc when really I could be diagnosed with a fatal illness any day. I will not procrastinate anymore, Emma has inspired me to lap up every moment of every day...and to have a sense of humor through it all:)

Go Emma!!

[Jana]

Having spent a mundane morning at work I picked up the Guardian at lunchtime and read Emma's diary. Far from making me sad, it has truly lifted my spirits and strengthened my resolve to quit the procrastinating! This was the first time I'd read or heard anything about Emma but I was so touched by her writing - her ability to be so 'natural', separating herself from what was happening to her, through what seems an amazing sense of humour and self. True individuals are so few and far between and to touch the emotions of a complete stranger, making them cry then laugh in the same minute, is for me a special and rare thing. She was obviously out to get the most from life, even when faced with discomfort and pain. I've cut her diary out for my boyfriend to read tonight.
With my best wishes to Emma's family and friends.

[Tracey]

I didn't know Emma, but I have just read her blog after seeing the article in the Leicester Mercury last week. She sounded truly amazing and I'm sure you are very proud of her. She was obviously an inspiration to everyone who knew her.
My thoughts are with her family and friends at this very sad time.

[Diana]

I'm absolutely awestruck by this wonderful woman! I read the excerpt this morning (US time) in the Guardian online. I really wish I'd known about her Blog earlier because I'd have loved to correspond with such a vibrant, courageous person!

May she rest the in the profoundest peace and may her family be comforted by having had her presence in their lives - they truly received a gift when she was born. The loss must be enormous.

[john]

I read emmas story in the guardian today ..i cried..my heart goes out to anybody who knew her and to all her family .she must of been an amazing person to know,my thoughts are with you

[Pete]

Read Emma's story in the guardian last night, then read it again. Truly a moving article, witnessing such strength of character created such a sense of awe and admiration. May she rest in peace, and to her family - you were in the presence of a true hero.

[Jennifer Schafer]

I only met Emma a few months ago. We got on well from the start and it was inspiring to see her smile even during very difficult times. I often felt so helpless. It has been a privilege to look after her. Her blog is amazing and a wonderful memory.

Colin, Linda, Ernest and Meroe:my thoughts are with you all.

Jennifer (Nurse at London Bridge Hospital)

[Mary Graham]

I just wanted to say what a fantastic person Emma must have been and how much you must all miss her. I didn't know her of course, I'm just a Guardian reader. Her 'blog' was so inspiring that I'm going to keep it and read it again every now and then.If she could keep that terrific sense of humour when things must have been so hard for her then we should keep ours too. Hope you didn't mind me writing. Kind Regards Mary Graham

[Anne]

I never knew Emma but read her diary in the Guardian. She sounds like the type of person everyone would be proud to call a friend. I only hope I am as brave as Emma in dealing with my ovarian cancer.

[soheil from iran]

I am so sory about this bad hapen. it make cry,I dont konw why

[Jacqui]

I remember Emma from Stonehill High School.

I had read her entry on Friends Reunited and wasn’t surprised to see that she was succeeding in life. At school she struck me as a vibrant, energetic person, so full of life. I was shocked to read of her death. Her blog has affected me deeply.

My sincere condolences to her family and friends.

[Stu Austin]

Emma and I shared the same class at Stonehill and remained friends at Longslade. It is now nearly 20 years since I last met Emma, one lunchtime as she was walking up to the post-office. She joined me for a drink in the Oak and we chatted about nothing in particular. In all the time that I knew her I never heard of anyone who had met her that didn't like her, and she always had time to talk or just to listen. Over the years I have often thought of Emma and it was such a shock to read the news of her passing. The world is most definately a poorer place without her. Goodbye Sweetgirl xxx

[Emer Molloy]

I was fortunate enough to get to know Emma through her time spent in hospital. She always amazed me at her strength and drive. She never gave up, she always had determination. I shared tears of laughter and joy with her. She truly was a very special person. As her nurse I always tried to do as much as I could but unfortunately I could not do all I wished for.
I pray she is in a better place, her family and friends now have a very special angel looking over them.
My thoughts to you all.
God Bless
Love
Emer
x

[Adrian Martel]

I knew Emma through a job I had a couple of years ago. I think she started just before me, and with her sitting just across the desks from me and being involved in the same projects she was part of the small group of people I wanted to stay in touch with when, ironically, we also left the company on the same day. It also turned out that she'd studied architecture in Leicester with my brother - small world - when she came to my flatwarming.

Since I met her I've been very fond of her as a genuine, smart, funny friend. The last time I was in touch with her was at Christmas by text when she went to Wales, and I was looking forward to meeting up with her again when I heard the news. It's taken me days to sit down to write this - just really tough to come to terms with, I guess.

Did you ever see the play '"Wit" by Margaret Edson? It's wonderful and poigniant - also about a funny, smart woman dying of cancer but amazingl to keep her sense of humour throughout. (http://www.fsbassociates.com/fsg/witaplay.htm). Discovering Emma's Blog a few days ago reminded me of that, with the addition regret that I hadn't known quite what she was going through, and the pain that this was also real and someone I know who I really didn't want to go.

She was just a wonderful person. I miss her a lot. My thoughts are with her, and her family and friends.

[faruk mamaniat]

I came across Emma's story in the Leicester Mercury. I wish to convey my deepest condolences to the family.

From what I've read, I feel that I know what kind of person Emma was - strong and courageous. She reminds me of a dear family friend (Nafisa Ali) who passed away from breast cancer on 16 January 2004 (10 days before her 39th birthday).

We should remember both with a celebration of their lives and courage (along with all others who have died from cancer, etc).

My thoughts are with both families.

Whenever, I feel down I shall always think of Emma and Nafisa, and think what they would do...

[Lydia Downey]

I was privileged enough to have known Emma as far back as primary school (St Johns) although we didn't become friends until we joined Leicester all-girl band Ella (Emma on bass, me on sax). She was my big sister in the band and would look after me when the others were being mean! We had a lot of fun back then and I will treasure the memories of a time when we believed we could be popstars!
It was great to get back together when she, Mary (our drummer) and I were all living in London and we had some funny nights out at the Kick bar playing table football. A far cry from playing the Princess Charlotte but just as much fun. We had an especially lovely day last summer when Dawn (our trumpet player) came down from Sheffield and the four of us had our first reunion in years. Sadly, Emma was just about to find out the dreadful news of her condition and the next time I would see Dawn was at the funeral.
Emma was a truly special and unique person and I miss her so much. She inspired me with her amazing courage and strength and I miss her sense of humour and wit. I feel so lucky to known and spent time with her.
To Linda, Ernest, Meroe, Rob, Nicki and Colin, my heart goes out to you all and although in tragic circumstances, it was wonderful to be with you all again and to meet beautiful baby Emma.
Much love,
Lydia x.

[Tony Abbs]

We only met Emma a few times when she, Rob and Moroe visited Rob's Grandparents in Norfolk. Emma was in her teens and a lovely person. We were very saddened by the news. Our thoughts go out to Ernest, Linda, Rob, and Moroe.

Tony, Carolyn, Duncan, Leo and Sam (Perth, Australia)