Tragedy as mum loses cancer battle just seven weeks after birth of daughter

Hannah Wilson aged 41, recently lost a devastatingly short battle with cancer after a late diagnosis just a few weeks earlier at the end of February.

At the time, the primary school teacher from Tankersley, Barnsley, who worked at Bramley Grange Primary School in Rotherham, was 30 weeks pregnant and a devoted mum to her first-born child Jude, now 22 months old.

With Hannah’s health rapidly deteriorating, a decision was made for her unborn baby to be induced the following week at The Jessop Wing and Sadie Jessica Rose was delivered on March 4, weighing 3lb 9oz.

During the Caesarean section it was discovered that Hannah’s cancer was far more advanced than initially thought, and she was given just weeks to live.

‘She stayed so strong’

Despite Hannah’s family saying their ‘world fell apart’ at the prognosis, they said she “stayed so strong and began making plans for her family” – including organising a wedding for her and her long-term partner, Andrew, and a naming ceremony for their two children in the space of 24 hours.

The ceremonies were held at the Jessop Wing maternity unit in Sheffield and shortly afterwards Hannah was transferred to Barnsley Hospice for palliative care.

Despite being terminally ill, Hannah’s wish to see the sea one last time was granted, with staff arranging for her, Andrew and Jude to spend time together making ‘cherished memories’ on a beach at Scarborough.

The trip was facilitated by The Ambulance Wish Foundation.

It was also arranged for baby Sadie to be moved to Barnsley Neonatal Unit for her care to be provided as close to her mum as possible.

Neonatal staff ‘pulled out every stop’ to ensure that Hannah could have as much time as possible with her little girl, transporting Sadie daily by ambulance to the hospice for regular visits.

Sadie was discharged from the neonatal care unit just days after Hannah’s passing.

Respecting Hannah’s wishes not to have any flowers at her funeral next Tuesday, her family is keen to “fulfil her final wish to give back to the charities and services that supported her during her final weeks”.

Fundraising for charities that supported Hannah

An online crowdfunding appeal has been set up in Hannah’s memory, with all donations to be shared between Jessop Wing, Barnsley Hospice, Barnsley Neonatal Unit, The Ambulance Wish Foundation and the charity Mummy’s Star, which has provided memory boxes for Hannah’s children, a grant to help with childcare and cleaning and has pledged support into the future.

The family’s fundraising page says: “Words cannot express the heartache we’ve been left with from losing Hannah.

“She really was one in a million who was so selfless until the very end.

“So please, if you’re able to, could you help us to fulfil her final wish and support the charities and services that made such a difference to her final weeks.

“Life can be, and has been incredibly cruel but, we’ve also seen an overwhelming amount of kindness from people and places that we did not even know existed until the last couple of months. You never know if one day you might also need their help.”

A version of this story was originally published on our sister title, The Star

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