A teenage girl who died of cancer left behind a tear-jerking list of 'things that are important right now' to help her grieving family and friends.
Jess Fairclough, 18, from West Derby, Liverpool, was diagnosed with a rare form of cancer in 2014 but, after it suddenly spread to her bone marrow last November, she was given just days to live.
Despite knowing that her days were numbered, she took the time to pen a list of things that were 'important' to her and that she wanted to do before she died. Now, her list has inspired friends to fundraise in her memory.
A-level student Jess Fairclough, from West Derby, left a list for family and friends before passing away aged 18 in November 2015. She expressed her intention to spend as much time as possible to her loved ones
The heartbreaking list included 'Being with family + friends', 'Filling in my journal' and outweighing 'the bad with the good'.
Jess also expressed her intention to 'read and listen and talk and write and draw and make music.'
She added: 'These make up being happy and that I believe that is the secret to life: to be happy and to make stuff and to be as good to each other as possible'.
It inspired family friend Liz Taylor to set up a fundraising page on JustGiving to raise money for cancer charity CLIC Sargent by encouraging people to take part in a series of sponsored crossfit challenges.
Jess had been studying for A-levels at Belvedere Academy, south Liverpool, when she first became ill in November 2014. She passed away less than a year after her diagnosis.
Liz, who had known Jess for five years, told FEMAIL that Jess had always remained upbeat throughout her ordeal.
Jess's list, written just days before she died, detailed her intention to make the most of her final days by spending time with family and friends, filling in her journal, and reading, writing and drawing
Jess Fairclough at Glastonbury Festival with mum Tracy, left, and dad Rod, right, before the cancer took hold
She said: 'She was such a happy, positive person. She never once complained.
'Jess didn't realise that her cancer was terminal when she was first diagnosed. When it came back, she only had seven days. She died in her mum and dad's arms.'
During that time, Jess wrote her bucket list which she showed to her parents. Liz said: 'After Jess died, her mum posted it on Facebook to remind us all to try and be happy.'
'Just an amazing, brave kid': Family friend Liz said that Jess (pictured) was always thinking of other people
Jess, centre, receives a visit from her family and three dogs while staying in Alder Hey Hospital, Liverpool
Liz said: 'She was an amazing person. She would just get on with things.' The teenager was diagnosed with rhabdomyosarcoma, a type of soft tissue sarcoma, and despite her being given just a few months to live, her parents decided not to tell her, living by what Liz described as a 'positive mental attitude'.
When she turned 18 on 5 November, Jess briefly went into remission but shortly afterwards, she began complaining of a pain in her collarbone which indicated that the cancer had spread to her bone marrow.
She was transferred to intensive care, and passed away on 18 November.
More than 600 people turned up to Jess's funeral, and shortly afterwards her mum set up a JustGiving page to raise money for children's cancer charity CLIC Sargent.
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