Grace Measor, 19, died on Friday, due to complications following a stem cell transplant. She had written letters to her family and friends to be opened in the event of her death, urging them to live their lives to the fullest
The devastated parents of a Hartlepool teenager who lost her courageous battle with leukaemia have described her as “a gift to the world.”
Grace Measor passed away on Friday as a result of complications following a stem cell transplant. The kind-hearted 19 year old had penned letters to her loved ones to be opened upon her death, encouraging them to embrace life to the fullest and reassuring them “it’s okay”. The letters are bringing enormous comfort to dad Graeme, mum Nichola and sister Sophie, 17, as they struggle to come to terms with their heartbreaking loss.
Diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukaemia in 2017, Grace’s initial treatment proved successful and she went on to excel at school, college and university before embarking on a career as a scientist with Johnson Mathey. Graeme and Nichola revealed she had dreamed of travelling the world and pursuing a career in research and development into renewables.
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“Basically she wanted to save the planet,” said mum Nichola, 51, an occupational therapy care assistant. Graeme, who works as a senior lecturer at Teesside University, said they watched her flourish into “an absolutely amazing woman” after previously conquering the leukaemia.
“As parents, we decided at that point, that she had earned the right to do anything she wants,” he said. “She got a travel bug and wanted to go places and if we could possibly make it happen we said yes and I’m glad we did.” Grace’s travels took her to Nepal, Turkey, Florida, Spain, Austria and France. “We took the opportunities when they arose – we made memories not material things,” Nichola explained, reports Teesside Live.
“Grace managed to make friends and collect people everywhere she goes. She is just loved in all directions, whether it was at school, college or work.”
Grace was a pupil at Seaton Holy Trinity Primary School and Dyke House Academy in Hartlepool before continuing her studies at Middlesbrough College, then securing a degree apprenticeship at Manchester Metropolitan University. While at college, she entered a chemistry competition and reached the national finals in Cardiff.
However, on her journey to the contest, she started experiencing excruciating back pain. Following multiple hospital visits and examinations, her parents took her to the RVI in Newcastle in December, where a blood film confirmed their worst fears – her leukaemia had come back.
“The consultant said, ‘you will have to go to the Freeman Hospital for a stem cell transplant,’” Graeme, 52, recalled. “She was told the treatment for the bone marrow transplant was total body radiation, followed by really strong chemotherapy to kill the bone marrow and then you get the stem cells which is an infusion.
“She was told it would make her sterile so, in order to preserve her fertility, she was brave enough, prior to coming in, to go to the RVI and have one of her ovaries harvested and frozen so that in the future she could have babies. At 19 to make that decision – her heroism was just unbelievable.”
After the treatment, Grace developed a chest infection and rare complications which struck her body simultaneously. This resulted in a catastrophic brain injury with no prospect of recovery, and the heartbreaking decision was taken by doctors to withdraw treatment. Grace passed away in the arms of her devoted parents and sister. She had penned letters to her family and friends to be opened if she didn’t survive treatment.
“They are full of so much maturity for somebody so young and they are giving us so much comfort,” said Graeme. “One of the lines says: ‘When you walk the dog along the seafront, I’m in the roaring of the ocean, I’m in the air that you breathe, I’m at one with nature, and it’s okay’.
“She said, ‘go and live your life for me’. She was so brave, she was our amazing Grace. She doggedly, determinedly fought every single thing. She beat it but in the end the toll was just too many things. She was a gift to the world. She was pure of heart and soul, kind, generous and all the best attributes you could wish to have in a human being.
“The important thing we want to get across is love your kids, you never know when anything could change. And register for stem cell treatment- it’s literally a transfusion, it’s not an invasive thing and it’s almost painless. And blood donation. Grace had so many transfusions. It’s a simple thing to do and you save someone’s life.”
Rather than cards or flowers, the family has asked well-wishers to donate to the wards at the Freeman Hospital, whose devoted care for their daughter they described as “second to none”.
Funds raised via the JustGiving page have already reached £7,000, which will go towards the hospital wards and a cancer research charity the family are currently looking into, with the aim of helping others in Grace’s situation. The JustGiving page is here.
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