Faye Lafferty

Faye was our youngest daughter, she had two sisters, Sophie 9years and Heather who was 10 years
when Faye passed away.

Faye started to have nose bleeds that were very severe, but after being brushed off by our GP
several times, I took her to Alder Hey in the early hours one morning. After a number of tests and
a bone marrow biopsy, Faye was diagnosed with Aplastic Aneamia a few months later. This is a rare
blood disorder that stops the production of blood cells in the bone marrow, which can lead to
infections, bleeding and breathing problems.

After 12 months of diagnosis, it was noticed that her cells had plumeted drastically, we was
informed that the only option would be for Faye to have a bone marrow transplant.

Faye and I went public to find a donor and to raise awareness about the Anthony Nolan Trust who help
find bone marrow donors.

Faye became a bit of a celebrity locally due to all the media attention and coverage she got.

Finally a donor was found in Australia.

Faye had the transplant in May 2008. Initially things seemed to go well and Faye was able to come
home because it appeared to have worked.

But Faye was not long home when she developed reoccuring infections/temperatures. We were back and
forth to the hospital. She was given drugs to boost the bone marrow to get it working, but that
didnt work. Faye was admitted again, which sadly was to be for the last time. Faye became really
ill. Unable to eat or drink, severe pains and no energy, she wasnt able to shake off the
temperatures. We were informed the bone marrow transplant had failured.

The decision was made to ask the donor to donate again. Unfortunately we never got to that stage as
suddenly and unexpectantly Faye developed sudden complications and passed away on July 30th.

I had left Faye with her sister and her nan whilst I run her dad home for him to have a rest whilst
I stayed with her. On my return the room was full with the medical team, Faye was on oxygen and was
obvious having problems breathing. Faye was saying she couldnt breathe and for them to take the NG
tube out of her nose. A doctor was trying to calm her down as initially they though she was having a
panic attack.
I was so scared, I knew something bad was happening.
I rang her dad to get a taxi straight back to the hopsital. Faye loved her dad to bits and always
wanted him to be there with her. Faye put her arms out for her dad just as he got back, but as she
did her blood pressure started to drop quickly as well as her oxygen levels. Faye arrested and
staff gave her CPR. You could imagine how we were. I couldnt watch them banging on her chest, I was
in and out to her because I also did not want to leave. I remember Mary a nurse telling us they had
got a good pulse and heaart rate back and that they were transferring her to ICU. We were given a
room to wait in whilst they got her sorted on the different medical equipment. They came out and
said we could now go in and see what the were doing with Faye and be with her, but they informed us
again that she had stopped breathing again. I knew in my heart we were going to lose her, but you
pray for a miracle. They had stopped working on Faye when she began breathing a again on her own.
For the third time they tried to resusitate her, but it wasnt to be, the child we had loved and
cherished was going. They said we would never get the faye we knew and loved back and asked to
disconnect Faye from all the machines, so that we could hold her whilst she passed away. Friends and
family who had managed to be contacted were present, including her 2 adored sisters and her beloved
nan. Faye passed as soon as she was in my arms.
I held her for long and didnt want to put her down, her dad sat next to me holding her tight.

We brought Faye home, she layed in her bedroom on her sleeping beauty bed, she looked like she was
asleep in bed. Our house was always full, her friends would go in frequently to see her and talk to
her.

I will never get over the loss of my baby, there are days I wish I could be with her, but I know I
have my other two to take care off. I miss her so much. Life carries on in so many ways, but in me
a part has died. Our life will never ever be the same again. I prayer that we will be together one
day and that she is with her Grandad who she loved so much, who also passed away in Aril 2008 and
also with her uncle Jimmy and auntie Tracey and Joanne who she never met but heard so much about.

We always went to my mums for our sunday dinner that Faye loved. My mum had said to Faye to get
better so she could make her a dinner again, but Faye turned around and said that her next roast
dinner would be with her grandad in heaven. I wonder sometimes if she knew. Faye spoke about her
grandad alot before she died.

Faye was so beautiful inside and out. She was so loveable, people adored her. Faye loved to have
fun, she had the nickname fairy faye laff a lot, which she required from Anne her lovely nursery
teacher. Faye seemed to get on with anyone young and old, male and female. She had a special bond
with all that knew her.

Faye was so chatty, some nights she would get in bed with me and she would yap away. She loved her
own trends and would be always changing her clothes, sometimes we would laugh about it, other times
I would be going mad because of all the washing.

She was so caring, her nan has rheumatoid arthritis and Faye would stroke her nans poor hands.

Faye was so comforting, times when I had been upset, Faye would put her arms around you and gently
stroke your face..... i miss that so much.

Faye had loads of loves and kisses for you, they were never in short supply. When I gave her a
kiss good night we had this silly little saying 'snuggy bum', that meant after we had give eachother
a kiss we would rub our noses together, it was just a thing we did.

Faye was in a swimming, drama and dancing club. She excelled in all of these. Her dance teacher
always told me Faye was a natural dancer and that she would do well.

Her best mates were Jade, Amy and Chloe, she had been mates with these from starting school. She
was also good friends with another Aimee who is really one of Sophies friends. This Aimee spent
many hours at the hospital with us. Our house is like a open house and it is always full of the
kids friends staying over.

I have to mention Harry, he was the boy Faye loved at school. He had spent time around at ours with
Faye and they would email eachother a lot. He has been devastated.

At Fayes funeral, everybody wore pink, she had a pink coffin and a lovely white carriage pulled by
two lovely grey horses.....fit for a princess.

As funerals go, hers was beautiful, her life was celebrated, the service was child orientated. lots
of her friends were involved, they did the readings, the offering, served on the alter, they spoke
about their memories of her. Heather and Sophie sang 'Somewhere over the rainbow', the exit song
was 'Rule the world' by take that. Fr Anton did the service, he is a fabulous priest with a great
personality and mor importantly he knew Faye.

We have had loads of love and support through Fayes illness and now in our grief, and yes we put our
brave faces on, but inside our heart is torn apart.

We hav since been told that the cause of Fayes death was due to a overload of fluids she had going
into her because she wasnt eating or drinking, her organs were not able to cope with the extra
fluids. Faye started getting kidney problems as she was dehydrating and would of needed dialysis and
transplant the way things were heading.

I needed to know what went wrong, because you always question yourself and have loads of what ifs.
I still have loads of what ifs, but I will never be able to change what has happened. X