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Daily Mirror
Daily Mirror
Laura Sharman

Mum dies on wedding day to teenage sweetheart weeks after cancer diagnosis

A bride died on her wedding day after being diagnosed with cancer.

Mum-of-two Helen Felvus was planning to wed her partner David after 44 years together and brought the date forward after her shock diagnosis.

The couple quickly moved forward the ceremony and decided to tie the knot at home surrounded by friends and family.

But Helen, 61, tragically died just hours after saying "I do" on her special day with heartbroken husband David saying "she was a beautiful soul".

Their daughter Robyn Haynes, 37, described Helen as "my superwoman, my best friend, my angel in the sky".

She said: "Mum never went to the doctors or hospital. We thought it was a kidney infection.

Helen started to develop a sharp stabbing pain to her right-hand side, but the family believed it was a problem with her kidneys.

Helen started to suffer a sharp stabbing pain to her right-hand side but thought it was a problem with her kidneys (Robyn Haynes/WALES NEWS SERVICE)

The grandmother spoke to her doctor before jetting off on holiday with long-term partner David Felvus, 60, in Tenerife in July.

But the family said her condition deteriorated during the trip and she came home to be diagnosed with bowel and liver cancer.

Robyn took her mum to hospital when she got back from holiday on July 14 and she was admitted.

She said: "I called on the fifth day of their holiday and mum couldn't speak.

"Dad faced the phone away so I couldn't see them, clearly, they both were upset.

"Mum was taking strong pain relief from friends just to see her through her holiday."

Helen – also mum to Gavin, 43, and grandmother to Marcel, 18, and Evan, 10 – was sent home to receive palliative care on July 27.

Robyn said: "My mum was like a superwoman - she did everything and then suddenly she got this diagnosis, and everything was affected.

"When she was diagnosed we thought we had a year initially, which was hard to digest losing her so soon.

"Whilst in hospital found out months, weeks, at home we found out days. Our world fell apart.

"We thought there was going to be a treatment plan to support her cancer but the hospital said that mum was very poorly and all they could do was make her comfortable."

Helen, of Cwmbran, South Wales, tragically died on July 30 just hours after the wedding service.

Now the family want to raise awareness of the symptoms of liver and bowel cancer so others didn't suffer.

Robyn said: "If you are having pains in your stomach or if something isn't feeling right go to the hospital or doctor.

"The symptoms are jaundice, swollen legs, confusion, bloated, indigestion, sharp stabbing pains and mobility reduced.

"I wouldn't want any other family to go through what we're going through because it's devastating."

The family are raising money funeral costs and have already reached over £2,800.

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