Inspirational former Shoreham woman dies after cancer battle

Debby Sadler grew up in Shoreham and brought up her two children, Dave Mayfield and Lisa Manville, in the town.

Kind donations and fundraising, including a 10-mile ladder challenge by Dave and fellow Shoreham firefighters, helped the family to share some precious bucket list adventures together in September and October.

Debby, 60, died at home in Hastings on Wednesday, November 11, with her close family around her.

The mum-of-two was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer on July 31, and in August, was told she had just three to six months to live after the cancer had spread to her liver.

Undeterred, Debby compiled her bucket list, affectionately named Adventures With Mum. The family raised £5,500 through GoFundMe and Dave, 33, a retained firefighter, raised a further £2,000 with the help of crew members in the ladder challenge.

Some of the money went to The Fire Fighters Charity but the rest enabled Debby to complete a number of things on her wish list, which included indoor sky diving, getting matching tattoos with Lisa and Dave and enjoying a spa day with both of her children.

After Debby’s death, Lisa, who lives in Worthing, said: “I want to thank each and every person who took the time to donate and to help us tick off as much as we could from Mum’s bucket list. Mum was incredible and an inspiration to us all, I will love her forever.”

Dave added: “I would like to mirror that and thank everybody for their kindness, from individuals to businesses who have gone out of their way to help us at a time of need.

“Lisa and I were with mum until the end and made sure she knew how loved she was. She kept smiling and joking, even called me a ‘git’ one day when I was joking around with her.

“I believe that Mum will be by my side during my wedding next year and looking down over her friends and family with pride. I’m sure she’s having a well deserved glass of wine with her loved ones in the sky.”

Debby’s death comes at a particularly difficult time for the family, as they were having to come to terms with the death of Debby’s mum just days before.

Lisa and Dave’s father was also diagnosed with throat cancer in recent months but did not want to tell his children while they were caring for their mum.

He has been given approximately six months to two years to live, according to Dave, but begins undergoing intense radiotherapy this week.

Inspired by his mum, Dave, who lives in Shoreham, said he was trying to focus on the positives as he and his fiancée Charlotte are expecting a baby girl in May next year.

Dave and Charlotte are due to get married in October 2021, having had to postpone their wedding that was due to happen in Santorini in May this year.

In September, the couple organised a small ceremony at St Mary’s Church, in Shoreham, to give Debby an opportunity to wear her wedding outfit.

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