Abbey Wood family pay tribute to 'inspirational' Sue Beaver who beat cancer nine times

Sue Beaver, 56, died from sepsis and pneumonia in Queen Elizabeth Hospital last month after a courageous 19-year battle with cancer.

For the past four years Sue had organised an annual Pink Ladies’ Night at the Sevenacre Club in Abbey Wood to bring people together for a night of fun and raise hundreds of pounds for charity.

Even leading up to her death she was determined to donate heat pads to QE hospital so she could ease the pain of other cancer patients like herself.

Now her daughter Nicola Beaver, 36, and her son’s partner Natasha Taylor, 34, plan to continue the fundraising in her legacy.

Nicola said they want to give something back to the nurses and hospital staff who went “above and beyond” in their care for her mum.

She told News Shopper: “Mum was the life and soul of the party. She just cheered everyone up”.

Nicola Beaver, 10-year-old Frankie Bussey, and Selina Trueman deputy director of nursing with nurses from ward 21 Macmillan Brook unit and the donated heat pads.

Nicola was just 18 when Sue was first diagnosed with breast cancer, and although it was tough, she said her mum’s constant positivity kept the family going.

Tests revealed Sue suffered from a hereditary cancer gene, and after rounds of gruelling chemotherapy and surgery, the disease eventually attacked her lymph nodes, throat and stomach.

“She was just such an inspiration and she’s going to be missed by such a lot of people,” said Nicola.

As well as a large extended family and a whole host of friends, Sue leaves behind her husband Ray 63, her daughter and two sons, Raymond, 38, and Billy 23.

The close-knit family and two of her best friends were by her bedside when she died on July 1.

Sue Beaver hosting her Pink Ladies Night for charity.

Natasha, from Darenth, said even at the end she refused to let the cancer defeat her.

“You don’t hear of a lady beating cancer five times, let alone nine times,” she told News Shopper.

“Even though she was the one who was going through the hardest battle ever, it was never about her.”

She described Sue as “one of the best people you could meet” and said: “She didn’t have a bad word to say about anyone.

“You could be the worst person in the world, she would still give you a chance.”

She praised Sue’s fighting spirit each time the cancer returned and hopes others may take inspiration from her journey.

“She was so positive, the last time was definitely her hardest battle” she said.

Around 300 people attended her funeral at St Michael’s church in Abbey Wood, before the hearse took a tour of the neighbourhood she grew up in – from where she was born in Harrow Manor Way to where she lived with her husband in Church Manor Way.

Sue Beaver and Natasha Taylor celebrate Pink Ladies Night.

Nicola said her mum had the perfect send off, and the amount of people who turned out to say goodbye was a testament to her infectious character.

“The love and the atmosphere in that place was amazing,” she said.

“It was very upbeat. It wasn’t doom and gloom, we celebrated her life.”

As her favourite song Valerie played out, friends and family cried with bittersweet emotions at the memory of a larger than life character.

Having raised almost £900 to buy equipment for the QE Hospital, and already bought 19 heat pads to donate, the pair paid tribute to the “absolutely amazing” staff on ward 21.

They said: “Every single nurse was brilliant, even down to the ladies who were serving the jacket potatoes.

“The compassion from them was just amazing.”

As well as donating to the hospital, they plan to continue Sue’s Pink Ladies’ Night fundraisers to ensure her memory and positivity lives on.

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