Laura Dawson with her husband Ben and their two sons, Jacob and Theo, during her treatment(Image: Ben Dawson/SWNS)
Speaking previously about knowing she was going to d.ie, Laura said how her final days were among her “happiest”.
She said: “Some of the happiest days of my life have been in the last few weeks. As a society, we shy away from the process of dying.
“By doing that, we reinforce negative ideas around death. People think death is always going to be painful and traumatic, but it doesn’t have to be.
“Deep down we all know we are going to die. Cancer has forced me to acknowledge it. Since then I’ve lived more fully than I’ve ever done and that has been a gift.”
According to Ben, both he and Laura saw the time they had together as a blessing, despite wishing for more.
He said: “Laura could have died on that operating table back in March. Life can be cut short unexpectedly and suddenly.
“But knowing Laura was going to d.ie meant everyone had the opportunity to say what they wanted to say to her. When it comes to the funeral, I won’t have to stand up there and say all those things I wished I had said to her.
“Because I told her and so did the kids. Obviously, I’d prefer to keep her – and have her for the rest of my life.
“But she died knowing she is loved and that we will miss her endlessly. That is a blessing.”
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Throughout the ordeal, Ben shared that he and Laura were always transparent with their sons Jacob, 17, and Theo, 15.
Ben said: “We’ve spoken very openly about it all the way through. We’ve always told them what the possible outcomes are – because we want to prepare them for what might happen and we want them to be able to trust what we’re saying. That’s definitely helped us throughout.”
He also praised the care she received – from the NHS and St Christopher’s – stating it made the experience more bearable.
“From the moment she was admitted into Guy’s and St Thomas’ Hospital, all the care Laura received was incredible,” Ben said. “We really are so thankful.”
Ben revealed that Laura wanted to share her story to assist others in coping with dying and d.ea.th.
He said: “The way she’s approached this has been incredible. I don’t think there’s been a day in this process where Laura truly let this get to her. This is unfair. She’s had her life cut short by 40 or 50 years. But she was seeing the beauty in the small things – taking joy in what she could do.
“They say people are glass half empty or glass half full. Laura was always happy enough just to have a glass. She wanted to share that with people.”
Laura Dawson with her husband Ben and their two sons, Jacob and Theo(Image: Ben Dawson/SWNS)
Additionally, Laura dedicated her remaining time to crafting lasting memories for her family. She penned heartfelt letters, arranged keepsakes and purchased meaningful watches for her sons.
“She bought me one when we got engaged and now the boys have one too,” Ben said. “That way, on special occasions, like their weddings, they can look at it and know she’s with them and thought about that day.”
Reflecting on his time with Laura, Ben said: “We met 24 years ago. They talk about love at first sight – and it was that.
“She’s been my constant companion ever since. Laura was generous to a fault – and the kind of person who is friends with someone after a minute of chatting to them. She was just a really, really nice person.”
