FIVE weeks after her wedding, Sarah Wilford should have been enjoying life as a newlywed, but the mother-of-one tragically died following an 11-month battle with cervical cancer, aged just 26.

Mrs Wilford began having pains in her legs in summer 2008 and a cervical smear test, around seven months later, revealed a lump on her cervix.

A month later, in May 2009, an MRI scan at Newport’s Royal Gwent Hospital confirmed it was a tumour, which was pressing on the tubes to her kidney’s causing them to fail.

The next 24 hours were touch and go and doctors feared she would not make it, but she pulled through and was eventually transferred to Cardiff’s Velindre Hospital.

There she endured three months of 28 gruelling radiotherapy and chemotherapy sessions to shrink the growth.

By August she showed signs of improvement and was allowed home, but six weeks later a scan revealed part of the tumour that was left was attached to the stomach wall, and was inoperable.

The nursery nurse then started having chest pains and doctors discovered another tumour last October.

Her husband Elliott Wilford, who gave up his job as a courier to care for his wife, said: “It was awful, she was so poorly but Sarah never wanted to think it could beat her.”

She underwent more chemotherapy in January but her condition deteriorated and she was admitted to hospital after suffering a seizure one night.

Six weeks before she died, doctors told Mr Wilford they could do no more for his wife but the family decided not to tell her because she had been so positive throughout.

“Sarah always believed that she was going to beat it, even at the end. She did not know because it would have put her into a world of fear. We think the reason she lived so long was because she was positive about it.”

Having got engaged at New Year 2009, the couple decided to get married and with the help of with the help of Velindre staff including Dr Emma Hudson and Michelle Penegelly, they tied-the knot at the hospital’s chapel on March 12.

Unable to leave the hospital the nurses helped Mrs Wilford chose her wedding dress on the internet.

Despite being almost wheelchair-bound Mrs Wilford, bravely managed to walk down the aisle aided by her brother Kelvin, 37, who gave her away.

The couple were joined on their special day by 40 family and friends, while other patients lined the wards and clapped as she made her way to the ceremony.

Staff on first floor ward even created a makeshift honeymoon suite so the couple could spend their wedding night together with their son Jac, 19 months.

Mr Wilford said: “It was absolutely fantastic. It was a brilliant day.”

Mrs Wilford eventually came home two weeks ago under the care of district nurses and St David’s Foundation staff before she died Monday morning at 7.20am.

The family are keeping a memory box of photos and video footage of Mrs Wilford for the couple’s son Jac, who himself was somewhat of a miracle.

The pair were told it was highly unlikely that Mrs Wilford could have children without help because she suffered with polycystic ovaries.

But during an appointment to discuss fertility treatment doctors discovered she was pregnant.

Mr Wilford said: “All she wanted was to be a mum. She was a natural and I will always tell Jac what a beautiful person she was and how much she loved him.

“He misses his mum like crazy, you can see it in him, but he is what keeps us going.”

Mrs Wilford’s funeral takes place at 2.15pm on April 28 at Moriah Baptist Church, Risca.