Beatles to live and let die

Two mums who became friends while working together in a Co-op store today reveal a moving Mother’s Day story like no other.

In the midst of tragedy, the pair have forged an astonishing agreement that goes far beyond the bounds of friendship.

When single mum Hayley Morse, 42, was told her breast cancer was terminal her one fear was what would happen to her only child, 11-year-old Lucy.

Her father isn’t a part of her life, and Hayley’s mum had died from breast cancer just months before.

In despair, she asked her daughter who she’d want to live with when she was gone. “I just wanted Lucy to feel she was part of the decision. She has lost her nan, she is going to lose me,” says Hayley. “And I wouldn’t want her to live with someone she’d not be happy with.”

Lucy, who had grown up witnessing the strong bond between her mum and pal Claire Way, had no hesitation. “She immediately said Claire,” says Hayley.

Claire, 46, a single mum herself with a 16-year-old daughter Grace, had been like an auntie to Lucy.

But Hayley knew asking her pal to look after her daughter would be a big test of their 25-year friendship. “When I asked her I knew she’d need to think about it, as it is such a huge commitment.”

But Hayley needn’t have worried. “I was thrilled when she agreed,” she says. “There is nothing more heartbreaking than knowing I won’t live to see Lucy get married or have kids. But I can’t think of anyone better to bring Lucy up and I know Claire will treat her like her own.”

For Claire, now a trainee teaching assistant, there was never any doubt. “I have always treated Lucy exactly the same as my daughter Grace,” she says.

“And I know if the boot was on the other foot Hayley would do the same for me. I couldn’t even begin to put myself in the situation Hayley is in. For them to even ask me was a big thing.

“After looking into everything that had to be done officially, the impact on my life and my daughter’s, we decided to go ahead. I knew it was the right thing to do. Lucy and Grace are already so close, it just made sense.

“What is happening to Hayley is so awful. This is the least I can do. It is just nice knowing I can help them.” Hayley was diagnosed in 2017 just a few months after her mum Mandy discovered she had the disease at Christmas 2016.

Hayley had felt a lump when showering. “In all honesty, I don’t think I’d have done anything about it if it hadn’t been for my mum’s diagnosis,” she says. Hayley had a double mastectomy and reconstructive surgery at Portsmouth’s Queen Alexandra Hospital.

“The nurses at the oncology unit – especially Ellie Blaiklock and Debbie Henderson – were just amazing. I can’t thank them enough.

“But I had a bit of a breakdown,” she says. “I thought, ‘Why is it happening to me? Why has my mum got it? Why have I got it? What have I done to deserve this?’

“Every time I had chemotherapy I was so ill, I could barely look after myself, never mind Lucy, so she had to go and stay with friends.”

By February 2018, Hayley had completed her treatment and was trying to get on with her life in remission – going back to work and making up for lost time with Lucy. “But in early 2020 she suffered niggling aches and pains which made her go back to the doctor. “I was working as a cleaner,” she says. “I started to get out of breath when I got to the top of the stairs. In February 2021 I was referred for tests and they did a full body CT scan.

“When they rang me with the results they said they were referring me back to oncology – so I knew then what was coming.” Doctors told Hayley the stage four incurable cancer had spread through her entire skele-ton. Her only option was targeted treatment and palliative care.

She says: “They keep trying different tablets, but basically I am looking at not being here by the time my daughter is 18.”

After her diagnosis, Hayley phoned her mum to tell her the devastating news – only for Mandy to be told a few weeks later her own cancer had returned and spread to her brain.

Before Mandy died in August last year, Hayley caught Covid, so she couldn’t see her. She says: “Me and my mum spoke on the phone every day. I am devastated I never got to say goodbye. The day I finally tested negative I was packing my stuff to visit her when my dad rang to say she’d gone.”

With Lucy’s grandma gone and her father not part of her life, Hayley knew she had to start making plans for her girl’s future.

Now Hayley, Lucy, Claire and Grace already go on holiday together and are planning a trip to Disneyland Paris. They are also going through official paperwork to assign Claire as Lucy’s legal guardian. Hayley, who has bought cards for all of Lucy’s milestone birthdays and is filling a book with picture memories, says: “I have been open and honest with Lucy.

“She knows everything. But I know that with Claire and Grace, she’ll be in safe hands.”

Help Hayley make memories for her daughter at gofundme.com/f/making-memories-while-time-lets-us

A 30-year-old woman has created a heartbreaking bucket list with all the experiences she would like to have before she dies.

Alisi Jack-Kaufusi was diagnosed with stage 3 ovarian cancer at the age of 24 and since then, she has battled the disease with surgeries and chemotherapy .

But six years after her diagnosis, the woman, who is from New Zealand but lives in Brisbane, Australia, has been told that the cancer is now terminal.

After receiving the devastating news, Alisi wrote a “Timeless” bucket list, which includes seeing the Northern Lights and taking a trip to Hawaii – and she has already ticked some experiences off.

Alisi’s friend Tracey Jubber also created a GoFundMe page to raise money, help her achieve her dreams, and live life to the fullest.

One of her dreams was riding a helicopter over Brisbane and travelling in an old school Mustang – which she has already done.

She also hopes to be able to see Beyonce live, see the Great Pyramids and go to a music festival.

Alisi said it was “quite hard” to list the things she wants to do as she felt “pressure” while doing it, however, she added she is now “going with the flow”.

The woman, who has bravely shared her story on social media, said crossing some things off her bucket list is tricky at times as she is undergoing treatment.

She explained: “It’s been a little tricky to tick some of the items off of my list because of chemotherapy. Having to live my life in three-week increments because of chemo and always having to reply ‘let’s see how I feel’ can be frustrating.”

Her friend Tracey described Alisi as “a fierce advocate” for raising awareness and funds for ovarian cancer.

She added that the woman is “one to never give up without a fight” and she is trying, with the help of oncologist Dr. Jim and her team at the Icon Cancer Centre in Brisbane, to find options that will help prolong Alisi’s life.

In an update shared in February, Alisi said she felt like she was “drowning” on some days, as she wrote: “The past couple of weeks have been hard, mentally and physically, from doing chemotherapy to dealing with everything else. It’s been tough.

“Some days I felt like I was drowning. Thankful to my very close circle of friends who’ve been there for me and helped me get through some of my bad days.

“Using my lived experience has helped me, and I’ve noticed that my Timeless (bucket) List has become more than just a list of the things I want to do. It is raising awareness for Ovarian cancer.

“The list is serving a bigger purpose, and that makes me happy. It’s all about raising awareness.”

So far, more than $15,850 (£8,720) has been donated. You can also donate to the fundraiser here .

A 14-year-old boy with leukaemia has died days after visiting a mural in his honour.

The family of Dylan Reid say he fought cancer until the very end, and will never be forgotten by his loved ones.

He was first diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukaemia in November 2020, and had had surgery to removed a tumour, as well as three rounds of chemotherapy to kill cancerous cells.

Dylan had recently returned home to Newcastle upon Tyne from Liverpool following the devastating news from doctors that he may not have long to live.

A few days after he went to the surprise mural unveiling in his honour in Ouseburn, his condition deteriorated and he died in hospital at Royal Victoria Infirmary.

His aunt, Danielle, told Chronicle Live : “Dylan went back to his mam’s house for dinner on Sunday and he started to get a bit tired. By Monday he was asleep pretty much all day and then on Tuesday morning he was gone, it happened so quick.

“We are broken. We knew it was going to come to an end at some point, but we didn’t think it would be that quick. But we have many fond memories of Dylan, we have his wall and many events coming up in his memory. We’ll never forget him, never ever.”

Danielle added: “He’s out of pain now, he’s peaceful. He’s not having people prodding and poking him on a daily basis and having to go through all of those horrific treatments.

“We’d like people to remember him as a sassy little boy with his own unique personality, he was his own person. He was one of those who you will never forget.”

Dylan’s mum Kelly Ann Moore, speaking at the mural event days before his death, had described her son as “a bubbly person”, adding: “He’s very sassy, he’s always smiling. He won’t let it get him down.”

His funeral will be held at Tynemouth Crematorium on March 31 at noon, with a request of family flowers only.

During his life, supporters had rallied round for Dylan, with a GoFundMe page set up raising £3,707.

A Dance For Dylan 2 DJ event for his family is due to be held at Cosmic Ballroom on March 25.