Breast cancer activist who openly shared her battle with deadly illness leaves heartbreaking final message

Kate Rackham, mother of two, wrote a message to announce her own death

A mother of two who openly shared her battle with cancer has left a heartbreaking final message to announce her own death.

Kate Rackham, who was diagnosed with incurable estrogen-receptor breast cancer at the age of 39, tweeted: “If you’re reading this, I’m dead, but don’t cry for me.”

The teacher from Morecambe, Lancashire, added: “I lived my life on my own terms, the way I wanted.”

During her courageous battle against the deadly disease, she shared updates with her 22,000 followers and helped found the charity Fighting to be Heard to raise awareness of the disease.

His final distressing message yesterday morning read: “If you are reading this it means I am dead.

Mother-of-two Kate Rackham has written a heartbreaking final message to announce her own death.

Ms Raclham was diagnosed with incurable estrogen-receptor breast cancer at the age of 39.

In her last message, she wrote: “If you are reading this, I am dead but don’t cry for me. I lived my life on my own terms, the way I wanted.

“But don’t cry for me. I lived my life on my own terms, the way I wanted.

“I joined X because I needed an outlet, and what I got was so much more.

“You made me feel validated in my feelings and a lot less alone. THANKS.’

Thousands of tributes have flooded into social media since news of his death broke, including from Nicola Nuttall, whose daughter Laura died of brain cancer aged 23.

She wrote: “We are heartbroken to have lost this truly incredible woman.

“Kate really knew how to live, she wanted to go up to Pendle but wasn’t waiting for better weather because she knew better than anyone the value of a single day. We almost got blown up but it was great, I’m so happy for meeting us.

Ms Rackham previously told the BBC her diagnosis came as a “massive shock” and spoke of her “massive” struggles with hair loss while undergoing chemotherapy.

“It’s really hard to lose your hair. It’s not just about losing your hair, it’s about losing your eyelashes and your eyebrows,” she told BBC Radio 5 Live.

Thousands of tributes have poured in on social media since the announcement of his death. She helped found the charity Fighting to be Heard to raise awareness of the disease.

She last gave an update on her health on June 7, in which she apologized for the “lack of communication.”

“It’s the difference between looking like you have a bald head and looking like you’re on chemotherapy.”

She last shared a health update on June 7 in which she apologized for her “lack of communication recently.”

“And then hearing the words ‘there’s nothing more we can do,'” she wrote. “I needed some time.”

She added: “I am now home, where I want to be. With Mark (her husband) and the girls. Surrounded by love, family and friends. Everyone is rallying together and I have so much support. Despite everything, I feel blessed.