Update: Friday February 5, 2015, 5:31 p.m. ET: An earlier version of this story stated that Laura never graduated high school or received a yearbook, however Laura graduated Nelson High School in 2015.
A teenager who passed away received a heartwarming memorial from her friends.
Laura Hillier, an 18-year-old from Burlington, Canada, had been battling acute myeloid leukemia for years when she died on Jan. 20. Her friends and family came together to provide a touching yearbook-style tribute.
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I couldn't possibly share this without including the message that a big part of why she died was due to long wait times for transplant patients. Link to her story: http://www.ctvnews.ca/health/teen-says-it-was-hard-to-hear-she-must-await-transplant-despite-donor-match-1.2468349Link to her donation page (I'm not trying to raise donations, but I would feel bad not including it): www.beyondkidscancer.ca\laurahillierDonations are used to raise funds for stem cell transplants.
An image of Laura's coffin was shared by one of her classmates on Imgur, which showed handwritten notes from friends similar to those traditionally written in yearbooks.
According to CTV News, Laura had been waiting for years to receive a stem cell transplant as a cancer treatment. Finally, in July she learned that there were multiple donors available, but a hospital bed shortage placed Laura on a waiting list even though she had a donor match.
This is me after my reinduction chemotherapy! Hard to loose the hair. pic.twitter.com/wZ1BIpITYe— Laura Hillier (@i_AMLaura97) July 14, 2015
Laura then underwent chemotherapy in order to keep her cancer in remission.
In remission after reinduction chemo. Yay!!! Ready to go just waiting for a bed @PeterAkmanCTV @lnicolasglobal @CHCHTV @mattgallowaycbc— Laura Hillier (@i_AMLaura97) July 24, 2015
Laura's family attempted to find another hospital to complete her surgery, but found waitlists across Canada. An operation in the United States would have cost upwards of $250,000, CTV News reports.
In August 2015, Laura finally received her hospital bed and underwent surgery, only for her cancer to return in November. Laura then ended up in intensive care, but she was able to leave the unit on Jan. 1. Her family was excited and hopeful for the future.
Laura was supposed to go to City of Hope, a hospital in California for additional treatment on Jan. 18, but was unable to travel due to medical complications the day prior. She died later that week and her funeral service was held on Jan. 30.
Donations to Coast to Coast, a charity devoted to fighting childhood cancer can be made in Laura's name.