Help for funeral costs for Sarah Ritchie

My name is Jo.

Sadly on 1st of July 2025, we lost my beautiful, brave, and extremely clever big sister Sarah!

Sarah was just 45 years old, and had 2 children (Jamie and Sam), she also took in Sam's friend Mykie, after loosing her husband Roy back in 2020 to cancer.

Mykie was like another son to Sarah and they all lived together in Birmingham.

She loved animals and nature, and dreamed of being able to cuddle a Gorilla!

Sarah had a BA honours degree in early childhood studies which she gained in September 2012.

She worked with many families and children over the years, and truly loved them all.

She gave everything to everyone, and was so forgiving, I really believe she was an angel on this earth.

Sarah even set up her own little business after loosing Roy, called Pink Gorilla Creations, as well as publishing books for herself and others who needed help to tell their stories!

Unfortunately she was diagnosed with Myelodysplasia a type of blood cancer on Christmas eve 2023.

She fought a long and hard battle, having intensive chemotherapy before a stem cell transplant in October 2024.

Sarah DID beat the cancer!! She was told she was in remission on the 26th February 2025.

However she then suffered something called GVHD (Graft-verses-host-disease)

This caused a lot of damage to her internal organs, and she then suffered a series of small strokes and seizures while in hospital.

Despite this she worked really hard to regain the strength in her right arm and hand, and was determined to give back to patients going through what she was.

She planned to volunteer as HCA to give back and help others.

Sarah was still very poorly, and she tried every option available to her, but the complications she began to suffer from the numerous treatments began to take their toll.

She was in and out of hospital for treatments a few times a week and would often be admitted when things got too much.

The last time Sarah was admitted, there was no warning that she would pass away.

Although she was very poorly, no one was expecting this.

We were making plans for when she got out!

Sadly my mom got a call on Tuesday 1st July to say Sarah was very poorly and being moved to intensive care, and she passed away that afternoon surrounded by loved ones.

Sarah didn't have any insurance in place, unfortunately, and as the next of kin, the debt would fall upon my nephews.

I am setting up this go fund me so that anyone who wishes to, or is able to, can donate towards the cost of the funeral.

Sadly Jamie, Sam and Mykie will also have to find somewhere else to live, as they cannot afford the rent without Sarah.

I will make my mom Carole Layton the beneficiary, as she is the one organising the funeral.

Any funds that are left over, she will distribute evenly between the boys.

I thank you in advance for taking the time to read Sarah’s story, although I will never be able to tell you just how beautiful she was, I only hope you was lucky enough to know her!

Please if you can spare any money to help, it is greatly appreciated at this extremely difficult time.

If you are not able to donate, could you please share.

Thank you again!