The sister-in-law a woman who died after a brave fight against breast cancer has spoken of a "bubbly character" who "just loved her two children".
Hayley Rodgers, from Derry, died last May aged 34 of triple negative breast cancer, after initially successfully fighting the disease only months earlier.
Diagnosed in September 2020, Danielle said Hayley was "very positive about it all" and was determined to beat the disease.
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The mum of seven-year-old Holly and two-year-old Lily-Kate, Hayley underwent chemotherapy and an operation before February 2021 and got the all clear.
Danielle told MyDerry that the "fun, loving" Hayley was "so looking forward to" getting back on with life before further devastation after a follow-up appointment in the April.
Hayley's breast cancer had returned and this time it had also spread throughout her body, leaving her terminal.
On May 17 2021, Hayley sadly passed away leaving a "huge hole" in the Rodgers and Ward families.
Speaking to MyDerry, Danielle said: "She was the best wee mammy. Her life from the minute Holly was born was dedicated to her children. She just loved them so much.
"Her whole family, including PJ, my brother, was very family orientated. That's the way Hayley was, she was so selfless and would just light up any room.
"She has pulled before out of plenty of dark places over the years, including me, and she would have done that for anybody.
"And when she passed away you knew the type of character that she really was because whenever someone would stop and talk about Hayley they always have something nice to say about her.
"She has left such a good impression of herself on people's lives - she was just a fun, loving and happy person to be around.
"Even when she was told that cancer had returned, her first thought was her two kids.
"Doctors had told her that she could have more chemo and that would help to prolong her life but that she would never be cured. That was very hard for everyone and I can only imagine what it was like for someone like Hayley.
"In the end, she didn't get the time to decide and died three weeks after she was told."
Family and friends marked the Derry woman's first anniversary on Tuesday (May 17), with Danielle saying the last year had proved "incredibly difficult' for PJ and Hayley's two children.
"It all happened very fast," Danielle added. "It was a hammer blow to our entire family, it was just awful.
"Lily-Kate was only one and Holly was six, so Hayley was worried about not being around her children and she wanted to make sure they were OK.
"The entire situation was a big shock to PJ as well. Hayley was his first real partner and they were together for eight or nine years. It tore him apart.
"And he has two girls now who are relying on their daddy and he's doing it basically on his own. He gets support from his family but he's the one that's there making sure they're OK every day. He's doing Hayely proud, he's doing a great job with them."
Danielle said that Hayley's eldest daughter Holly told family that she was worried her young sister wouldn't remember their mother.
So, in an effort to keep Hayley's memory alive, family members have come up with the "perfect way" to remember her.
Danielle continued: "In the summer of 2020, during the lockdown, Hayley or as we all know her to be, 'Bops', posted a Facebook status asking if it would be acceptable for a 33-year-old to relive their youth on roller boots up and down the Quay in her home town of Derry.
"She actually convinced some of her nearest and dearest to buy old-school roller boots and start practising. It was very funny because that's the sort of person she was. But then she got very ill and that's why it was all put on the backburner.
"But when we were thinking about what way we could keep her memory alive, we decided that we would this an annual event that people could come along in their roller skates and have a bit of craic.
"People don't need to wear roller skates, they can just turn up and be part of the event. It's all for Marie Curie.
"Marie Curie was very good with Hayley to the very end and that's another reason why we want to do this because we want to be able to give back in some way.
"I'm sure come Sunday, she'll up above looking down on us all and having a right giggle when she sees us falling to the ground."
The ‘Get Your Skates On’ event will take place on May 22 along the Derry Quay, with a charity night at Bishop's of Creggan from 6pm. All proceeds go to Marie Curie.
If you would like to donate to Hayley's fundraiser, you can also do so HERE.
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