Exeter girl loses her cancer battle

Brave Billie Bainbridge has died - nearly a year after she was diagnosed with an inoperable brain cancer. Yesterday (TUES) her heartbroken parents revealed that Billie died on Friday aged five.

Brave Billie Bainbridge has died - nearly a year after she was diagnosed with an inoperable brain cancer. Yesterday (TUES) her heartbroken parents revealed that Billie died on Friday aged five. 

Her mum Terri discovered she had aggressive breast cancer and the family was still reeling from that news when four months later Billie was diagnosed with the brain cancer. Terri and husband Sam, from Exeter, Devon, said:"It is the news we hoped we would never have to write. Billie died peacefully at home on the Friday afternoon nearly a year after she was diagnosed with an inoperable brain cancer. SAhe was just five years and five weeks old. "Her condition deteriorated rapidly after a brain scan on May 3rd showed significant tumour growth. In the last week she was having difficulty with breathing and was confined to bed." She died with her parents at her bedside and her family nearby. 

Mum of two Terri, 40, who is still receiving cancer treatment herself, said:"In the last year Billie had to cope with so much. She was incredibly brave and never complaiend or asked why." Friends said:"Sam and Terri did everything any parents could do and never gave up. They now to have little three year old Joe understand what has happened. "The fight to beat this cruel disease must continue." The family want to hear from any of Billie's friends who have stories and memories that can be shared with Joe. 

Generous donors gave many tens of thousads of pounds to the Billie Butterfly Fund which enabled her to go to America for treatment after doctors in the UK said there was no more they could do for her. The trust fund will now donate that remaining money to research child brain cancer in the UK to give other children a better chance of beating the disease. Billie was a normal little girl 'full of life and looking forward to school' when she was diagnosed with the worst type of brain stem cancer which is so dangerous that surgery is impossible. The friend said:"Sam and Terri nursed her to the end with tremendous support from Exeter consultants and nurses."