Identical twin tragically loses cancer battle
But early yesterday morning, Emily, 20, lost her battle against bone cancer and died.
Her sister, who she described as her shadow, was at her side until the end.
Now Kath has vowed to fulfil her sister's dying wish to have her ashes scattered in the shadow of the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco.
Kath said: “Emily made us promise to stay strong and go to San Francisco to scatter her ashes. San Francisco was the place Emily always wanted to visit and we will stand on a cliff overlooking the Golden Gate Bridge.
“The last thing she said to me was that she had made her peace and would see nan and grandad.
“She was not scared or frightened she was strong and I'm proud of her.
“Emily was very caring and wanted to make a difference to people's lives.
“She left instructions for the funeral, and also wrote a will. She has set up a trust fund for her nephew Colby and allocated savings which she hoped he would use to buy his first car.
“For the funeral she told us to not to get too upset and to wear nice bright clothes as it is to be a celebration.”
Just over a year ago, Emily was a happy sports-mad teenager enjoying her first year at Exeter University where she was studying sociology.
During the spring she started to get pain in her right shoulder, but thought she'd trapped a nerve playing hockey.
Last August Emily was diagnosed with osteosarcoma – a form of primary bone cancer – in her right shoulder and further investigations revealed the cancer had spread to a small section of her lungs and ribcage.
Kath said the way her twin dealt with the illness was inspirational.
“Emily was very brave and tried her hardest to stay with us as long as possible,” she said.
“I'm going to miss her so much. I have never been on my own before, so it is a frightening time. The safety net has gone away as I've always had someone there.
“She was part of me and now it feels like I am being ripped apart.”
A charity fun run has been organised by Kath to raise funds for the Bone Cancer Research Trust.
It will still go ahead tomorrow, at 11am at the Oxstalls Tennis Centre, Plock Court.
“I also hope to do other fundraising events including a sky dive and a bike ride perhaps this time next year, from New York to San Francisco,” she said.
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