By Leicester Mercury | Posted: 15 September, 2015
In January 2013, mother-of-one Lizzy Strong was told she had stage 4 bowel cancer.
She was just 34 and given the devastating news she had six months to live.
However, Lizzy's way of dealing with having cancer was by enjoying life, and she launched a fund-raising campaign called Random Acts of Silliness.
Lizzy died at LOROS Hospice on August 13 this year. Before she died, Lizzy told of her LOROS experience and how the hospice helped her come to terms with having a terminal illness.
"After the first operation I had, it wasn't looking good and we were preparing ourselves for the worse," said Lizzy, who lived with her partner, Tash, near Market Harborough.
"I was given around six months and that was scary. I thought to myself 'this is too soon, I haven't had enough time to prepare for this'.
"I was given a 6 per cent survival rate and remember thinking, 'there is no reason why I shouldn't be in that 6 per cent of people'. So I did everything I was told and tried to stay positive. I thought, 'I'm young and I'm strong, let's give it my best shot' and I did.
"Two years later, I'm still here, hanging on. But I know we are kind of approaching the end now."
Earlier this year, Lizzy, who has a son, Flynn, was told she had just months left.
She said the trickiest part for her was knowing she wasn't going to be a part of Flynn's future.
"At first, I didn't even think I'd see Flynn turn one, which was horrific and soon we are going to be throwing him his second birthday party, which is pretty amazing.
"I'm doing a lot for him though, like I'm making him a memory blanket and I've written him a little book from when he was born. They will be there for him to look at, if he wants to."
About nine months ago, Lizzy decided to use the counselling services at LOROS.
"I heard about LOROS through a family friend and decided to go and see what it was all about really," she said.
"Since then, I've been going every couple of weeks really."
Lizzy said that the counselling sessions really helped her.
"Counselling gives me the chance to talk through my fears with somebody. The things you worry speaking to friends and families about, when you're worried about their reaction and you don't want to upset them."
Lizzy said she was "pleasantly surprised" when she first visited the hospice.
"People give you the impression that LOROS is a place where you go to die and it wasn't until I walked through its doors for the first time that I realised that isn't what it's all about.
"There's just so much there and the staff are really friendly as well. I've met a lot of friendly people."
After Lizzy died, her sister Vicky Francis said: "LOROS gave Lizzy the most dignified and comfortable end we could have asked for. The whole process was heart-breaking but LOROS made the world of difference, not only to Lizzy but to her family and friends, and for that we will be eternally grateful."
Lizzy's fund-raising challenge was backed by celebrities and people are still donating to her JustGiving page.
Her campaign has raised £12,000 for LOROS.
