Darlington dad heartbroken after death of wife aged just 44

Sandra Seddon was just 44 when she died from incurable Leiomyosarcoma on Friday (June 7) - leaving behind her six children Coby, Cora, Cienna, Keeley, Kesler, and Cleo, and her husband Colin, who is from Darlington.

Following her death, the family has paid tribute to "the best mam in the world" - as they come to terms with their loss and a genetic battle with cancer, which has affected the whole family for years.

Sandra Seddon (Image: SEDDON FAMILY)

A fundraising page has also been set up to help support the family with funeral costs and dealing with life after their loved one, as well as supporting Colin, who was Sandra's carer and has been unable to work, due to looking after all six children.

The mum of six was first diagnosed with stage four Osteosarcoma in 1999, which spread to her lungs. 

She then had one of her legs amputated at age 19, but, according to her family "this didn’t stop her" from living her life how she wanted.

Sandra and her husband Colin (Image: SEDDON FAMILY)

But, through the years, the family, who now call Thornaby home, has had to come to terms with several cancer diagnoses - which included, in 2009, when Sandra's four-year-old son, Coby, was diagnosed with Rhabdomyosarcoma.

This was when the whole family went for genetic cancer testing - where it was discovered that Sandra, Coby, and Sandra's two daughters Kacey and Cleo all had were all diagnosed with Li-Fraumeni syndrome; a disorder associated with rare forms of cancer.

After attending Great Ormond Street Hospital for scans in January 2021, Coby and Cleo both had brain tumours discovered and later removed, while it was also found that Kacey, who was only 14 at the time, had multiple breast lumps.

Kacey then went on to be diagnosed with Leukaemia in January 2022, before an incurable and inoperable form of cancer, Adrenocortical Carcinoma, took Kacey’s life in March 2023, aged only 16.

Sandra and her family (Image: SEDDON FAMILY)

According to Sandra's daughter Cleo, who has set up a GoFundMe page, which has already raised £4800 in four days, her mum struggled to come to terms with the loss of Kacey, while also battling cancer herself.

Sandra underwent multiple chemotherapy treatments over the last couple of years, including trial chemotherapy in Manchester, which ended in November 2023.

This was followed by two long stays in hospital in January and May this year for the mum of six.

On the fundraising page, Cleo says: "Losing my sister Kacey was devastating for Mam and our whole family and we are all still going through that and miss her so much.

"During this time Mam was also dealing with her own cancer diagnosis.

"Some four years ago Mam was informed she had incurable Leiomyosarcoma. With everything going on with Kacey, Coby and me, she didn’t tell us this, as she tried to protect us with everything else we had going on. This is typical Mam: always putting us first."

"We're absolutely heartbroken."

Sandra's death from cancer on Friday was doubly tragic for the family - given that Friday also marked the 12th birthday of Sandra's daughter, Cora.

Since the GoFundMe page was set up on Sunday (June 9), the family have received numerous messages of support - with Sandra's daughter, Cleo, who set up the fundraiser, explaining the reasoning behind the need to raise funds for her family. 

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She said on the fundraising page: "I wanted to help my Dad and family and try to raise as much money as possible to help give my Dad some breathing space and time off from work to grieve and look after my brothers and sisters.

"I also wanted to be able to help with Mam’s funeral costs giving her the best she deserves.

"Dad has been unable to go to work as he has been Mam’s carer throughout her illness while also looking after my younger siblings.

"It’s safe to say that Mam would have done anything to still be with us. She lived for us and was simply the best Mam in the World, without a doubt. She was the bravest person in the world."

People can donate to the GoFundMe page here.