Heartbreak for Peterborough family as young father passes away from rare cancer

A Peterborough family have spoken of their heartbreak after a young father lost his fight against cancer.

Samuel Bravo-Hibberd (34) was diagnosed with having a brain tumour in September last year, just a few weeks after daughter Alejandria – Sam’s third child – was born.

He was given a few weeks to live, but Sam fought, managing one final Christmas with his young family.

Sadly, last month Sam passed away from the illness leaving wife Mauricee and his children heartbroken.

Mauricee said: “Great love brings with it the risk of great pain. It may not be a happily ever after, but I will always be grateful to Sam for giving me and teaching me to give the truest form of it.

"Let’s keep his story alive and the wonderful person that he was. There will forever be an excruciating void in me that will never be filled, only eased by our beautiful memories. He will live in the deepest recesses of mine and the children’s hearts.”

A memorial service for Sam was held last weekend, where Mauricee said Sam’s memory would live on – and his legacy would go on to help scores of others.

When Sam was diagnosed, a fundraising campaign was launched in his name. Now the money has been put towards 100 days of next generation genome sequencing at the Brain Tumour Research centre at Queen Mary’s Hospital in London in honour of Sam.

Mauricee said: “With the help of the fundraising money, I have funded 100 days of next generation genome sequencing at the Brain Tumour Research centre at Queen Mary’s Hospital in London in honour of Sam.

"If Sam was diagnosed earlier and whole genome sequencing results came back sooner, things might be different and he might still be with us now. I’m hoping that this next generation genome sequencing would change the fate of brain tumour patients and allow them to spend more time with their loved ones. More importantly, the hope is that analysing the entire genetic code of brain tumour patients can help deliver more effective treatments and a better prognosis.”

Mauricee will go to Queen Mary’s hospital on the couple’s wedding anniversary to put a tile in Sam’s memory on ‘the wall of hope’ at the hospital.

She is also scheduled to visit the four Brain Tumour Research centres in the UK to put a tile at each of them.

Sam was a passionate Manchester United fan, and the club had invited him to watch them play against West Ham on February 4. Sadly that was the day he passed away – at the exact time the match was due to kick off.

His memorial service was held on Sunday, as his beloved team were playing a dramatic FA Cup tie against their arch rivals Liverpool – a match won in the final moments of extra time.

Mauricee said: “I didn’t realise until I received tons of messages saying it has got to be Sam in spirit (that won the game).”

There was another emotional moment during the service when young Alejandria said her first word – ‘Dada.’

For more information about sponsoring a day of genome sequencing, visit https://braintumourresearch.org/pages/sponsor-a-day