Time may continue to pass but the pain of saying his final goodbye to his teenage daughter Catherine just as she peacefully passed away in a hospital bed is something that is as raw today for Richard Buchanan as it was the day she died. For Richard, today (Tuesday) marks the day Catherine, would have turned 27. But her life was tragically cut short after she was diagnosed with leukaemia .
Ten years ago, just as Catherine from Co Down was preparing to apply for university in the hopes of becoming a scientist, she became very ill. Shortly afterwards she was diagnosed with a rare form of blood cancer and just a week later, with her parents by her side, Catherine passed away in intensive care. READ MORE - Thousands living in Ireland with dangerous 'Celtic Gene' that can cause organ damage and even death READ MORE - Sepsis is fast becoming the silent killer in Ireland’s hospitals For Richard and the family, Catherine's diagnosis came out of nowhere as the Strathearn School student had been in perfect health, loved riding and was focussed on her future.
Tuesday is also World Blood Cancer Day and a decade later, now serving as Chairperson of local charity Leukaemia & Lymphoma NI (LLNI ), Richard is one of a number of people who have opened their hearts to share a personal letter to a lost loved one. Reading from his diary written at the time of his daughter's passing, Richard gives a very honest and open account of the loss of a loved one. He said: "We got to the hospital feeling .
