A heartbroken brother is today urging loved ones of those with learning difficulties to be extra vigilant about their health after his sister died just four months after discovering she had cancer.
Kate Fisher passed away at the age of 34 after losing her battle against the cruel disease.
Medics told Kate, who had suffered from severe learning difficulties since birth, that she had breast cancer in June this year.
Read more: Gateshead community plans night of fundraising for family of tragic teen Tomasz Oleszak
But by the time she was diagnosed, the disease had spread through her body and nothing could be done to save her life.
Kate's brother Geoff, who lives in County Durham, believes it is possible his sister could have been treated if her symptoms had been spotted sooner.
And he is today urging other relatives of vulnerable adults to keep a close eye on their health.
Geoff, 40, who has previously lived in Ashington, said: "When her cancer was spotted it was too late. I think family members of people with learning difficulties need to speak for them if they see them getting ill or losing weight. It's really important.
"Sometimes they don't realise something is wrong until it is too late."
Kate was born in London and lived a troubled life due to her special needs.
Geoff said his caring sister was often targeted by people who would take advantage of her as she did not understand people's motivations fully. Kate later moved to Hull and in 2015 she moved to Ashington to be close to her brother.
Geoff said: "She made the North East her home. She had a lovely life here. People treated her like a special person here."
But five years later Kate returned to Hull, where Geoff believes the early signs of her cancer were missed And when she was eventually diagnosed, the disease was at stage four and untreatable, he said.
"She was diagnosed with cancer in June this year. It was breast cancer but it had spread everywhere," Geoff explained. "It wasn't picked up. I think this was down to her learning difficulties. She didn't get the medical attention she needed."
Despite the grim prognosis, Kate vowed to fight the disease. But she passed away in Hull earlier this month.
"She understood what was going on, but she said: 'I'm going to fight this, I'm going to beat this,'" said Geoff. "Then a couple of days before she died she knew. She realised right at the end that it had got her."
Despite her difficulties, Kate touched the lives of all who met her, her brother said.
"She always thought the best of people, never the worst," he said. "She was always helping people out. If someone needed something or a friend was going through problems she was there.
"To me she was a normal person, but some other people didn't see her like that.. Kate touched everybody's life. She was a wonderful person. She had a heart of gold. "
Read next:
- Police hunt yobs who hurled firework from car in Cullercoats
- Prolific menace Liam Ellison banned from every shop in Sunderland city centre
- 'I want to lay him to rest' - Murdered Jimmy Prout's brother still waiting to scatter his ashes
- Former Royal Grammar School head banned from teaching over sexual misconduct allegations
- Jack Woodley murder: No one else will be charged over stab death after five suspects released with no further action
