Tributes to 'amazing' Sarah Foster after brain tumour death at 30

A YOUNG mother has died of a brain tumour, leaving her grieving husband to bring up their two young children alone.

Sarah Foster, 30, lost her two-year battle against cancer last Thursday when she died at the family's west Hull home.

Her husband, Lee, says the couple shielded their children, Darcey, five, and Deacon, three, from the worst of her illness and ensured they always led normal lives.

Factory worker Mr Foster, 34, said: "I can honestly say there was nothing bad about the past two years we had with Sarah. Our family had the most amazing time.

"Sarah was incredible. She was a woman who gave everything for her children and that meant us leading happy and full lives, despite what she was going through.

"Sarah used to tell Darcey and Deacon, 'Mummy has a pea growing inside her head, but the doctors are trying to fix her'.

"She was out of bed every day. She never gave up.

"As a family, we never ever allowed ourselves to think negatively. None of us ever stopped fighting."

Mrs Foster was diagnosed in March 2011 following a seizure. She underwent surgery at Hull Royal Infirmary soon after her diagnosis and had further surgery to remove the tumour in January last year.

However, weeks later, a routine scan revealed the tumour had returned, prompting doctors to rule the condition was inoperable.

Mr Foster paid tribute to his wife of almost eight years, who, despite recovering from chemotherapy, joined her family on trips, including a break to Disneyland Paris last October.

He said: "I am so proud of her. She was special. It was fantastic how well she coped with her condition.

"It was lovely to see our children's faces at Disneyland – that kept us going.

"We enjoyed days out. We went to Legoland. We went to Blackpool, our special place, as usual at Easter time.

"Sarah was in a wheelchair, but she wanted to keep things as normal as possible for our children.

"I am so pleased we crammed so much into such a short space of time.

"Sarah was a fantastic woman. She lived for her children."

Mr Foster described the moment he told his children their doting mother had died.

"I told them their Mummy will always be there for them," he said.

"I told them Mummy's star will shine so brightly for them.

"They are both now telling their friends at school and nursery that.

"Looking back, it wasn't the best idea – they are refusing to go to bed until 9.30pm when it gets dark, so they can see Mummy's star."

Mr Foster said he will ensure his children grow up remembering their mother.

"They will know all about the amazing woman Sarah was," he said.

Mrs Foster's funeral will be held at St James' Church in Sutton, the same venue where they married in July 2005.

Family and friends are asked to wear bright colours.

"The children are too young to attend but there will be two posies on top of Sarah's coffin – one from each of them – next to a picture of us all," said Mr Foster.

"And the flowers will be cremated with her coffin. The ashes will be spread at Blackpool, where we all went every Easter."

Mr Foster, who works for Kohler Mira in Melton, thanked staff at Castle Hill Hospital and Hull Royal Infirmary, as well as nurses who visited their home, for their care.

He also thanked the couple's family and friends, saying: "Their love and care meant so much."

Mrs Foster is also survived by her parents, Melvin and Leslie Purkiss, and sister Leanne.

Her funeral will be held at 10am on Friday at St James' Church, followed by a service at Chanterlands Crematorium.