Friends and family pay tribute to mother-of-two (From York Press)

Friends and family pay tribute to mother-of-two Lucy Perez

9:40am Friday 12th October 2012 in News By Richard Catton, richard.catton@thepress.co.uk

A DEVOTED mother who battled cancer has died at the same age as her own mother, who also had the disease.

Carmen Lucia Perez-Carrion, known to friends and family as Lucy, died last month at the age of 32, following gruelling treatment.

Friends and family packed into St John’s Church in her home town of Easingwold at her funeral to pay tribute to the mother-of-two and twin sister.

Her partner of 12 years, Tim Harris, 35, said: “It’s history repeating itself.

“The tragic thing is she lost her own mother when she was 32 and Lucy was six, the age her youngest son Rowan is now.”

Despite getting the all-clear from doctors, it is understood she succumbed to an unrelated illness after her body was weakened by the months of tough treatment.

Mr Harris said: “Her main loves were her family and friends; she loved them to bits.

“She was a 400 per cent devoted mother and that occupied all her time.”

He said his partner was diagnosed in 2010 with the cancer and began operations the following April, also undergoing radiotherapy, though he said she never talked about the possibility of losing the fight.

However, she died on September 26, surrounded by family and friends in York Hospital.

Best friend Kelly Gibson, 33, said: “She battled so hard and never gave up the fight. In the end it was her body that gave up.

“She was so giving. She was happiest when she was giving to other people. She was part of our family too, and we will miss her forever.

“She was proud of her boys and so proud of the way Tim was taking care of them.”

Mr Harris said: “I will remember her with love and sadness but I have so many happy memories of her.”

Lucy leaves two sons; Rowan, six and Preston, aged nine.