The loved ones of a mother-of-two have paid a heartfelt tribute by marking her "brave" cancer battle with a poignant memorial.
In 2020, Tanya Hilton, of Sheringham, in north Norfolk, started to feel fatigued and weak.
Soon after, the 35-year-old developed unexplained bruising on her body.
Eventually she was taken to hospital where a blood test revealed that she had acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (ALL).
In May 2022, two years after her diagnosis, Tanya died.
Now, a close family friend will be running his first ever marathon in her memory.
Michael Cuthbertson, 35, and his family lived next door to Tanya and her family for around six years.
He said: “It was a terrible shock when she was diagnosed with ALL, we just couldn’t believe it.
“She started chemotherapy immediately, but the treatment was horrible, traumatic and painful.
“Tanya was the bravest person and fought with everything she had. She was an absolute warrior.
“We all tried to remain strong and positive throughout, but she unfortunately lost her battle with leukaemia on May 23, 2022.
“She’s left an empty space in all our lives, particularly for her two beautiful daughters and her soulmate and husband.”
Mr Cuthbertson will be one of 50 runners who will don Leukaemia UK’s distinctive orange shirts this Sunday for the London Marathon.
Tanya’s daughters Grace, 12, and Ava, nine, will also be joining Mr Cuthbertson’s daughters Scarlett, 10 and Lacey, five, to do the TCS Mini London Marathon on Saturday.
They will be wearing their Leukaemia UK sweat bands with pride.
Mr Cuthbertson said: "Leukaemia is a cruel disease and seeing someone you care about go through it is devastating.
“We hope there is a cure one day so that no one suffers from this awful disease.”
Leukaemia UK will have a cheer point for its 50 runners at mile 13 of the marathon route.
Blood cancer, of which leukaemia is a type, is the fifth most common type of cancer and the third biggest cancer killer in the UK.
- Visit https://bit.ly/442IuAO to donate via Just Giving.
- To pay tribute to a loved one, email norfolkobituaries@newsquest.co.uk
- To read all obituaries and tributes join the Facebook group Norfolk's Loved & Lost.
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