The family of a mum who was suddenly diagnosed with leukemia made the heartbreaking decision to turn her life support machine off on Christmas day.
When Kirsten Hawksey first started noticing bruising on her leg she ignored the symptoms, the Liverpool Echo reported .
As it spread concerned family members urged her to go to the doctors who carried out blood tests.
On November 27, 2017 they delivered the shattering news that she had acute promyelocytic leukemia.
Although the 23-year-old was immediately put on a course of chemotherapy she quickly contracted a lung infection.
On Christmas Eve the strain of the disease caused her immune system to fail and a day later she suffered a bleed on the brain.
Her family members were left to make the the devastating decision to turn her life support machine off later that day.
At the time of Kirsten's death her baby daughter Penelope was just 15 months old.
Now she is two and a half, and her family are ensuring she always remembers her mum – who they said "idolised" the baby girl.
In memory of the young mum her friends and family have raised more than £12,000 for the Teenage Cancer Trust through a series of events including raffles and the Kirsten Cup charity football match.
Kirsten's mum Emma Hawksey said this year's match, which takes place on Saturday, May 11, would be "bigger and better" than last year's.
"It helped Kirsten and our family immensely during her short illness and continues to support us 18 months on so it’s lovely to be able to do something in return," the Crosby, Merseyside resident said of the Teenage Cancer Trust.
"These events not only help to raise money and awareness, they help bring our families together to create a fun, supportive network.
"They give us something to plan for and look forward to, they keep Kirsten's name on everyone's lips and in everyone’s minds and they help create goodness and hope from such tragedy.
"But most of all, they allow Penelope to walk on that pitch wearing her mummy's picture and feel like she's still with her.
"Keeping Kirsten’s memory and legacy alive is what we strive to do every single day, for Kirsten and for Penelope.”
To donate to the Teenage Cancer Trust click here .
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