Aundrea, the cluster manager for Cook’s Bangor and Newtownards stores in Northern Ireland, died in the early hours of this morning (August 16).
She was 43 and leaves two sons, Jack and James – who himself survived treatment for brain cancer at the age of two.
Aundrea had been diagnosed with inoperable pancreatic cancer in July 2016 and given six to 12 months to live by doctors.
Her fight saw thousands of volunteers throughout the UK and Irish travel industry rally together and help fund her treatment – raising around £200,00 in total through “Aundrea’s Army”.
Aundrea had been receiving chemotherapy treatment in Belfast until several months ago and had also undergone immunotherapy treatment at the private Hallwang clinic in Germany due to the expensive cancer drug she needed not being available on the NHS in Northern Ireland.
In recent weeks she had moved to a hospice for palliative care.
A post on the Aundrea’s Army Facebook group this morning said: “It’s with a heavy heart we tell you our beautiful girl Aundrea lost her battle in the last hour. She will be missed by everyone but especially Mum Lorraine, Dad Richard , Brother Aaron and beautiful sons Jack & James. She fought with everything she had right until the end."
Friend Martin Maclaren, Beachcomber Tours regional sales manager, Scotland and Northern Ireland, who helped set-up Aundrea’s Army, said: “Aundrea was an amazing girl who lived for her boys. An inspiration to all in the way she fought and is a massive loss to the Northern Irish travel industry. My heart is breaking for her family.”
In a post on Facebook, Maclaren added: “The most amazing, inspirational and beautiful girl I have ever had the pleasure to call my bestie has gained her angel wings today and is suffering no more.
“She battled with everything she had but couldn’t continue any longer and I am so proud of her for what she has achieved in her 43 years on this earth.
“She was just an incredible mother to Jack and James and a wonderful daughter to Richard and Lorraine and the best big sister to Aaron and a loving granddaughter to Maureen.
“I will miss you more than you could ever imagine baby girl and the sky will be brighter tonight knowing you the brightest star are up there shining down on us all.
“Love you with all my heart baby girl sleep tight until we meet again.”
