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Sarah Harding’s fans have set up an online fundraiser in the wake of her tragic death to breast cancer aged 39 on Sunday.
Funds donated on the Just Giving page will go to cancer charity The Christie NHS Foundation. At the time of writing, 99 donors have raised more than £1730 and a description on the page reads: ‘As we all know Sarah passed away on the 5th September.’
It continues: ‘We have been in touch with Sarah’s management and they thought setting up a page would be a lovely idea to remember Sarah. Lets try and raise as much money as we can for The Christie who cared for Sarah in her time of need.’
In memory: Sarah Harding’s fans have set up an online fundraiser In the wake of her tragic death to breast cancer aged 39 on Sunday (pictured in 2011)
The Christie is based in Manchester and helps to fund life-changing projects that benefit cancer patients.
On its own Just Giving page, the charity explains: ‘The Christie charity provides enhanced services over and above what the NHS funds for more than 44,000 cancer patients treated at The Christie every year.
‘Your support can help us to fund life-changing and potentially life-saving projects that will benefit cancer patients both now and in the future.’
After Sarah passed away on Sunday, The Christie tweeted: ‘We are deeply saddened by the passing of Christie patient and supporter, Sarah Harding.’
Funds: Funds donated on the Just Giving page will go to cancer charity The Christie NHS Foundation
In March, Sarah thanked her fans for sending her song Wear It Like A Crown to number one on iTunes, calling them ‘the best people in the world’.
Money made from the song was donated to The Christie, where Sarah received treatment while battling breast cancer.
Sarah, who also modelled and had a starring role in the St Trinian’s film series, passed away on Sunday, just 13 months after confirming her terminal cancer diagnosis. Her death was announced by her devastated family on social media.
A message from Sarah’s mother Marie was posted to the star’s Instagram account on Sunday, which read: ‘It’s with deep heartbreak that today I’m sharing the news that my beautiful daughter Sarah has sadly passed away.
Tribute: After Sarah passed away on Sunday, The Christie tweeted: ‘We are deeply saddened by the passing of Christie patient and supporter, Sarah Harding’
Thanks: Sarah thanked her ‘nutter’ fans for sending her song soaring to number one on iTunes within a day of its release (pictured during her cancer treatment)
‘Many of you will know of Sarah’s battle with cancer and that she fought so strongly from her diagnosis until her last day.
‘She slipped away peacefully this morning. I’d like to thank everyone for their kind support over the past year. It meant the world to Sarah and it gave her great strength and comfort to know she was loved.
‘I know she won’t want to be remembered for her fight against this terrible disease – she was a bright shining star and I hope that’s how she can be remembered instead. Marie x’
Music: The singer recorded Wear It Like A Crown 10 years ago and gave any money made from it to charity (pictured performing in 2014)
Born in Ascot, Berkshire, in 1981, Sarah spent most of her school years in Stockport, Greater Manchester. She worked in a nightclub promotions team after leaving school.
She also toured North West England performing at pubs, social clubs, and caravan parks to support herself while pushing for a career in the arts.
Sarah found fame in 2002 when she won a place on Popstars: The Rivals – a precursor to the Pop Idol franchise.
She teamed up with, Cheryl, Nadine, Nicola and Kimberley in Girls Aloud and the band took the UK by storm soon after.
The group achieved twenty consecutive top ten singles – including four number ones – in the UK and six platinum studio albums before the band took a hiatus in 2009.
Sarah was reportedly planning a solo career prior to her cancer diagnosis and had been honing her skills as a guitarist before the diagnosis last August.
Fame: Sarah teamed up with, Cheryl, Nadine, Nicola and Kimberley in Girls Aloud and the band took the UK by storm soon after (pictured in 2012)
Speaking to The Sun, a source said: ‘Sarah really wanted to revamp herself as an altogether different kind of artist to her Girls Aloud days. She was on a journey to find herself musically and re-brand as a blues artist, as that’s where her passion is.
‘She was playing guitar all night until her fingers bled and watching videos of her favourite performers in order to perfect her sound.
‘Her health issues meant she didn’t get a chance to lay down any tracks, but there’s hope she will eventually be well enough to put out the kind of music she loves.
‘She was looking forward to being in the driving seat and surprising people.’
Tragic: Sarah was reportedly planning a solo career as a blues singer prior to her cancer diagnosis and had been honing her skills as a guitarist before the diagnosis last August
Sarah discussed her fears over receiving a breast cancer diagnosis in a poignant chat six years before she died.
Back in 2015, during a Pink Ribbon Charity lunch at Champneys Spa in Tring, Hertfordshire, Sarah spoke candidly about her fears over breast cancer, and heartbreakingly said: ‘Luckily for me so far, fingers crossed, I’ve been okay’.
She explained that her family had been ravaged by the disease, so felt the illness was ‘close to her heart’ while also urging all women to check their breasts and also highlighting the importance of awareness in men.
Speaking about the impact of breast cancer on her life, Sarah said: ‘Breast cancer is something that’s quite close to my heart anyway because it runs in my family. On my mum’s side it has touched me…
‘And they say one in three are touched by cancer and one in eight it’s breast cancer. My mum and all her sisters have had to have lumps removed and things like that…
‘And close friends of the family have had to have mastectomies and augmentations and things like that. So for me it’s something that’s quite close to my heart, and it’s always good to try and give something back…
‘If I can support by my being here in any way I can and help raise awareness, that’s good for me and good for them. It’s good for all women. I think it’s empowerment, you know.’
When asked if she feared the disease, Sarah said: ‘Yeah. Oh gosh. I think it’s important that every woman has to check themselves regularly….
‘Luckily for me so far, fingers crossed, I’ve been okay. Another thing women have to be aware of is obviously cervical cancer. So there’s a lot to worry about as a woman. As there is with men.’
Touching: Sarah discussed her fears over receiving a breast cancer diagnosis in a poignant chat six years before she died (Sarah is pictured in 2015)
Sarah recently revealed she is taking cannabis oil to ease her pain as she continued to undergo treatment for breast cancer.
In an extract from her autobiography Hear Me Out, the pop star said she decided to try the treatment after it was recommended to her by pal Duncan James.
It comes after Sarah also revealed that her cancer treatment is ‘moving in the right direction’ and her tumours have ‘shrunk,’ since she publicly revealed her diagnosis.
In her book Sarah revealed Duncan suggested she try CBD oil after he found benefits from the treatment when he suffered a back injury during a stage show.
She said: ‘He’d used it after he suffered a massive back injury, while he was doing drag and wearing heels in Priscilla, Queen Of The Desert.
‘I figured that if it was something that could help Duncan in that situation, then I should definitely give it a go.’
CBD oil is a legal cannabinoid that can be sold in the UK, and is thought to have some medicinal properties, including relieving inflammation, pain and anxiety.
The musician revealed she had been battling breast cancer in August 2020 and recently said she does not know how many months she has left to live after her cancer spread to her spine.
She heartbreakingly said: ‘Luckily for me so far, fingers crossed, I’ve been okay’ (Sarah in August 2015)
The media personality spoke of her joy that treatment – including weekly chemotherapy sessions – had achieved this milestone and that she was able to enjoy a ‘relaxing Christmas.’
Ending the book, Sarah wrote: ‘MRI scans at the end of December revealed that the tumours in my brain and in my lung have shrunk a bit with the treatment.’
The TV star said that while she didn’t know ‘exactly what this means’, ‘right now, every little victory feels momentous’.
She continued: ‘With this news under my belt, I was able to enjoy a relaxing quiet Christmas with mum and yes, I got plenty of lovely Christmas pressies.’
Sarah ends the book with: ‘At the moment, I’m just grateful to wake up every day and live my best life, because now I know just how precious it is.’
Illness: In a tragic update from the book, she penned: ‘In December my doctor told me that the upcoming Christmas would probably be my last. I don’t want an exact prognosis’
