Video Loading Video Unavailable Click to play Tap to play The video will auto-play soon 8 Cancel Play now For Richard Buchanan, this Tuesday marks the day his daughter, 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. 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. READ MORE: NI mum on heartbreaking loss of son to leukaemia one year ago READ MORE: NI mum given 'second chance at life' after blood cancer battle thanks to sister 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 awful.
Had to wait a long half hour to get to see dear Catherine. She didn't look any different but was off the dialysis machine and the.