Brave teenager plans her own funeral after being told rare cancer is terminal
By Daily Mail ReporterLast updated at 5:40 PM on 13th February 2011
A brave teenager is planning her own funeral after being told her rare form of cancer is untreatable.
Donna Shaw, 17, was diagnosed with rare bone cancer Ewing's Sarcoma in February last year.
Despite surgery and chemotherapy, she has been told nothing more can be done, so is now planning her final months and every detail of her own funeral, her mother has said.
Inspirational: Donna Shaw, 17, pictured here with her mother, Nikki Parker, has planned her own funeral
She said: 'She has written everything out. She has asked six people she wants to carry her coffin, all friends and family.
'She has chosen everything, her songs, she has got a video of her she wants playing at the funeral, and the colours of the flowers.'
Terminal: The teenager was diagnosed with rare bone cancer Ewing's Sarcoma in February last year
Together: Donna has been able to talk though her thoughts with mother Nikki and stepfather Mik Parker
Men will wear pink ties - Donna's favourite colour - and after her cremation, she wants her ashes scattered off Brighton Pier.
'It's actually made it easier,' said Mrs Parker, from Alvaston, Derby.
'I know that seems silly, but because she is being as strong as she is, it does help.
'These are a 17-year-old's dying wishes and this is what will happen when the time comes.'
She said after Donna was first diagnosed, she had surgery to remove 80 per cent of the main tumour growing in her shoulder.
Kiss: Donna has said that she wishes to have her funeral wearing her mother's wedding dress
'We got told that because she was so poorly we would hold off on the chemo until after Christmas', Mrs Parker said.
'Her birthday is December 29 so we had Christmas, her birthday then New Year at home.
'On January 6 we had an appointment with our consultant who basically said the chemo has not been working.
'It was awful, by then the tumours had started to spread and grow rapidly, it's all down her left side.
'She had a cry, and swore and shouted and then came to terms with it.'
Wishes: Donna at home in Alvaston, Derby, hopes to attend a Westlife concert in March and then, if she is well enough, see skaters Torvill and Dean in April
'Donna isn't silly, she is quite mature for her age, since all this happened she has grown up quite a lot and she does talk to me and her stepdad,' she said.
'We all came to the decision that these tablets and the rest of the chemo wasn't working.
'When you get told by your consultant that there is no cure but we can keep it at bay, Donna turned round and said, "why prolong it?"
'Donna's friends have been absolutely fantastic. This house is never empty, she has got a huge collection of teddies, everyone brings one every time they come.
Mrs Parker said they still have plans to enjoy the time her daughter has left, including seeing Westlife in concert in March and then, if Donna is well enough in April, seeing skaters Torvill and Dean.
Donna said she made the decision to die with dignity after seeing other friends with cancer die on her ward.
'One of my friends was only five so he couldn't make his own decisions, he passed away on January 9.
'His parents kept prolonging things and he just looked like a skeleton. If I had not seen that I probably would have said yes to carrying on with treatment.
'My motto since I have had cancer has been, "it's all right to cry but it's even better to smile."'
She added: 'Sometimes I'm scared, sometimes I'm petrified, sometimes I think so what.
'When I go to sleep I'm quite scared, I'm not scared of dying, I'm scared to leave my family.'
Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1356596/Teenager-terminal-cancer-Donna-Shaw-plans-funeral.html#ixzz1Dv1tFpWW
