FOR 18 years Samantha Cole battled a life-threatening illness with a smile on her face.

But just a week before her birthday she lost the strength to fight.

Samantha, known as Sammy, was born with the terminal illness cystic fibrosis. She died in her mother's arms at the Great Western Hospital, on March 13.

Mum Lisa, 38, of Rodbourne Road, said: "She was a fighter and could have taken on Tyson if she'd wanted. But I think she'd had enough."

Sammy spent years of her life being treated at the children's ward at the Great Western Hospital, but in recent years her mum took over her care.

Lisa, who had already suffered the loss of two stillborn sons, Brandon and Matthew, learned to give Sammy her daily injections so she could spend more time at home.

"I am devastated. I have tried to come to terms with Brandon and Matthew's deaths, but with Sammy gone as well I don't know how I'm going to get on with my life," said Lisa.

"Sammy was happy and bubbly all the time. She was always smiling. To be honest I think she was the bravest person I have ever met.

"Over the years things took their toll. It was a hard fight for her every time she got a chest infection. "She always knew she would die someday. She used to be scared sometimes. "But recently it felt like she was determined to pack as much into her life as possible.

"When she turned 18 we had a blast together. We used to go clubbing together. I didn't like her going out on her own in case she got hurt.

"She became my best friend and my drinking partner as well as my daughter. "We would go into town, to the Casbah and other places and she was such a beautiful girl - everyone was always looking at her."

Lisa said Sammy's smile would be missed by everyone, especially her sisters Leanne, 22, Bethany, 10, and Millie, four, and brothers, Jamie, 21, and Jesse, 12.

"She was such a tiny person, but a big chunk of all our lives because everyone was always rallying round her."

Sammy was taken into hospital with pneumonia in February. On Wednesday, March 12, her consultant warned Lisa Sammy's time was running out.

"He didn't know if she would last a few weeks so they arranged to bring her home, so she could be with her family," she said. "But at about 4am on Thursday morning they told me to get everyone who wanted to see her up there. At 6am she just quietly passed away. I was cuddling her. Everyone she loved was there with her.

"It was heart breaking watching her. She perked up a little bit when she found out her brother and sister were there. She told me she loved me, then went very quiet. I gave her her rag doll and she went in my arms."

Lisa said she hoped people would remember Sammy as the happy, smiling girl she was.

Her funeral will be held at St Augustine's Church, Rodbourne at 1pm tomorrow. Lisa has asked friends and family to wear something pink, Sammy's favourite colour.

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