THE DEVASTATED family of a Coventry mum-of-five have launched a fundraising appeal to give her the ‘funeral she deserves’.
Debbie Barrett from Allesley was just 45 when she died suddenly earlier this month after bravely battling illnesses and health issues throughout her life.
Now her family is raising money to bury their beloved mother next to Hope – the prematurely-born daughter she tragically lost.
Describing her mother as an ‘amazingly strong woman’ who touched the lives of everyone she met, 26-year-old daughter Laura Cramp is hoping the family can now raise £2,500 to pay for a headstone for Debbie and Hope.
“She was such a beautiful caring lady,” Laura said.
“She was a amazing mother, wife, friend and grandmother who spent her whole life battling illnesses and she deserves a amazing send off, which is why we have set up a JustGiving page to help us raise the money we need to give her one.”
Throughout her life, Debbie endured endless health problems as well as six of her children were born prematurely, including Hope who lived for just eight hours.
Among her illnesses, Debbie was diagnosed with end stage renal failure.
She received a transplant from her mother in the hope it would cure her – but the outcome wasn’t as good as the family had expected and when Debbie’s condition deteriorated she was told she would have to have hemodialysis every three weeks for the rest of her life.
Debbie battled countless illnesses throughout her life, but always remained positive. s
And the problems didn’t stop there for Debbie and her family.
In 2013, she was diagnosed with Encephalitis – a rare condition in which the brain swells, affecting the victim’s memories.
Her family helped her regain her memories – only for her to be hit by another serious bout of the illness in August 2014 which left her fighting for her life in hospital.
Again, Debbie fiercely fought back – only to be handed a devastating breast cancer diagnosis in December 2016.
Sadly her body could not fight the brave fight any longer and she passed away on January 8.
She leaves behind her partner of 24 years, Andy, her children Andrew, Laura, Alanta, Paul and Amabel, and three grandchildren – all of whom are ‘broken-hearted’.
“Mum had so many illnesses over a 26-year period, but she still always had a smile on her face and helped everyone she could – she was an amazing, strong woman who touched everyone’s lives she met,” Laura added on behalf of the family.
“We hope people will dig deep to help us give her an amazing send-off fitting for the amazing person she was.”
Visit www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/Debbie-barrett to donate to the cause.
