Love from Lucy: The young heart transplant patient helping others after a cruel battle with cancer
Rachel Hepworth reports on Lucy Pearson's legacy. She spoke to her friend and tutor Sarah Dudley
A young woman from the New Forest who died from a rare form of cancer, has ensured other patients in her situation will have a helping hand.
Lucy Pearson sadly passed away in March from an aggressive cancer linked to the anti-rejection drugs she took following a heart transplant at the age of six.
ITV Meridian has followed her story since she was a little girl, her recovery, first day back at school, and then her time at Brockenhurst College.
She was a great advocate for organ donation, and made the most of every moment of her second chance.
But on New Year's Eve Lucy, now aged 21, was diagnosed with a rare form of non-Hodgkins lymphoma.
Despite treatment, Lucy lost the use of her legs and fundraising began to get her a specially-adapted wheelchair that would allow her to return home.
Lucy's friend and tutor Sarah Dudley launched a Just Giving page to help buy the specially-adapted wheelchair.
Within hours of broadcasting Lucy's story, generous viewers had helped it reach more than £20,000.
Sarah told us: "We were totally overwhelmed. The generosity of total strangers that night was just unbelievable, and overnight we knew we were going to be able to buy the wheelchair that she needed."
Sarah Dudley, Lucy's friend and tutor:
But tragically, Lucy was never well enough to return home.
She took a turn for the worse, and on March the 28th, she passed away at Jack's Place, part of the Naomi House Hospice.
She was surrounded by loved ones and spent her final days in the same selfless way that she'd lived her life, helping to set up a charity where the money raised could reach those who needed it most.
She called the charity 'Love from Lucy' and it will support other young patients diagnosed with the same post-transplant cancer.
The money already donated will make life easier for other patients like Lucy.
Lucy's funeral took place at St Mary's Church in Ringwood on Friday 9th April.
Her coffin was taken by horse-drawn cart to her final resting place at Crosslanes Chapel in Mockbeggar.
The service was planned exactly as she wanted it.
Lucy's final wishes were to make the lives of other people better.
It's a fitting legacy for a young woman who made the best of every moment she had.