A heartbroken fiancé has paid tribute to his ‘beautiful and brave’ partner after she announced her own death from cancer in a moving LinkedIn post. 

Daniella Thackray, 25, a HR professional from Leeds, had pre-written her thought-provoking final words for her family to post on her behalf after her death from a rare and aggressive form of bile duct cancer, also known as cholangiocarcinoma.

The post has since racked up nearly 40,000 likes as people were left moved by Daniella’s positive outlook despite her tragic circumstances – as she told people to ‘enjoy the little things’ in life and ‘cherish every moment’. 

Her fiancé Tom Calvert has now written his own message to his beloved partner on the professional networking platform, saying she ‘inspired me each day to keep going’. 

Tom and Daniella had celebrated their engagement with a party just last month, posting a joyful photo together alongside balloons. 

Daniella Thackray’s fiancé Tom Calvert (pictured together at their engagement party in January) has paid tribute to his ‘beautiful brave’ partner

Daniella, from Leeds, had pre-written her incredibly thought-provoking final words for her family to post on her behalf

Taking to LinkedIn himself, Tom wrote: ‘My beautiful brave fiancée, you continue to inspire so many others like you inspired me each day to keep going. Your courage, determination and kindness was infectious and you deserved the world. 

‘Unfortunately the world let you down, and your future was taken away from you in such a cruel manner. But you lived such an incredible life and you were so so loved.’ 

Tom, who is head of player care and psychology at Bradford City AFC, continued: ‘I’m glad that Daniella’s words resonate with so many others, if she could see the traction her message is getting she would be so proud. 

‘She was the most ambitious, intelligent and professional person I have ever met and was so passionate about her job. 

‘Her employer at 26 supported Daniella in such an incredible way, she felt so valued and was able to spend her precious remaining time making beautiful memories with the people she loved. I miss you Daniella and I’m so incredibly proud of you now and forever ❤️’

Daniella left people in tears with her original post as she told Tom to ‘go and enjoy the life he deserves’, adding ‘I love you and always will’. 

Tom had supported Daniella during a hospital visit seven months ago, as she revealed she’d had liver resection and gall bladder surgery. 

The happy couple had taken a picture together with Daniella giving a thumbs-up as they bravely smiled through the difficult visit.  

Tom has now written his own message to his beloved partner, telling her that she ‘inspired me each day to keep going’

Tom had accompanied Daniella to a hospital visit seven months ago, with the pair taking a selfie together

Daniella moved the internet with a poignant final message left on her LinkedIn account after she passed away from cancer

Daniella had a rare and aggressive form of bile duct cancer, also known as cholangiocarcinoma. Pictured in an update on LinkedIn seven months ago in hospital

Tom, who studied sport at Loughborough University, told everyone who had sent well well wishes that it ‘means the world’ and said Daniella ‘would be so proud if she knew how many people her message touched’. 

In her now-viral post, Daniella, who worked as a people administrator at digital marketing agency 26, paid tribute to her family, fiancé Tom, and dog Leo.  

She wrote: ‘If you’re reading this then it means I have died from my battle with cancer and my family are posting my final message on my behalf. 

‘Firstly, I just want to say that not all cancers are caused by lifestyle choices, in some cases it’s genetics or unfortunately it just happens. 

‘In my case, despite me being very healthy and active, a cancer started in my bile ducts which was not caused by anything in my control and my life was never the same again. 

‘Cholangiocarinoma is a rare aggressive cancer with often no obvious causes and no cure. I really really do hope that in the years to come more research is done about this horrid cruel disease so that more lives can be saved.’

Accompanying her post, Daniella chose a black and white photograph of her walking her dog along the beach.  

Accompanying her post, Daniella chose a black and white photograph of her walking her dog along the beach

Daniella paid tribute to her family, friends, fiancé and dog, and encouraged her followers to ‘enjoy the little things in life’

The HR professional said in her heartbreaking final post that she’d chosen to enjoy the time she had left, rather than mourning the loss of her life, despite being devastated by her terminal diagnosis 

The emotional message continued: ‘So with that being said, although we can’t control what happens to us, we can control how we react. I chose not to mourn the life I was losing despite being so devastated, but to instead enjoy every moment I had left.

‘As I have always said and believed, you should enjoy the little things in life and cherish every moment! Romanticise your life! Do whatever makes you happy and don’t let anyone take the joy of life away from you. 

‘I LOVED my life. Everything I had achieved was what I wanted. I loved my job, my fiancé, my family, my friends and my dog, and the house we were going to buy and the future we were making for ourselves. 

‘Leo my fur baby was definitely brought into my life to help brighten my darkest days.

‘And lastly to my dear, beautiful Tom, I love you and always will. Thank you for supporting me and bringing so much love and happiness into my life. Go enjoy your life now, you deserve it.’

Daniella had worked in HR at 26 since July 2022 and previously studied at Newcastle University. 

One of Daniella’s colleagues also left a thoughtful tribute to her on LinkedIn, writing: ‘Daniella was not only amazing at her job, with organisational skills like I’ve never known before, but she was a ray of sunshine and positivity that lit up any room she walked in. 

‘She connected with people so well. The dream colleague and friend. I knew from the first time I spoke to her after spotting her on LinkedIn how remarkable she was. A view that everyone at 26 shares.

Daniella advised followers to do what makes them happy, saying: ‘Don’t let anyone take the joy of life away from you’

The 25-year-old described how she loved spending time with family and friend, watching football and walking her dog 

Daniella posted an update in her cancer battle seven months ago, also on LinkedIn, revealing she’d had a liver resection and gall bladder surgery

‘My heart hurts so much after what’s happened to two amazing people in my life. It also hurts for Daniella’s family, friends and finance as I know first hand how painful it is.’

In a post on her employer’s Instagram, Daniella had described her role as onboarding new starters and supporting employees. 

The music lover said her dream dinner party guests would be Adele and Dave Grohl and described how she loved football, eating out and spending time with loved ones.

She added that her three-year-old English setter Leo needed lots of walks and attention. 

Seven months ago, Daniella posted an update in her cancer battle, revealing she’d had a liver resection and gall bladder surgery.

Daniella posted pictures of herself in the hospital ward, saying she was taking time to ‘rest, recover and learn how to walk again’, while asking for TV and film recommendations.

WHAT IS CHOLANGIOCARCINOMA (bile duct cancer)? 

Bile duct cancer, also called cholangiocarcinoma, is a cancer that is found anywhere in the bile ducts – small tubes that connect different organs including the liver and gall bladder. 

The cells can eventually grow into surrounding healthy tissues or organs, and spread to other parts of the body.  

Symptoms can be difficult to spot but may include: the whites of your eyes turning yellow, or the skin turning yellow; darker pee and paler poo; loss of appetite; losing weight unexpectedly; feeling unwell, tired, or having little energy. 

Your risk of getting bile duct cancer increases as you get older and most people develop it over the age of 65. 

Those with primary sclerosing cholangitis, a type of inflammation in the bile ducts, also have an increased risk of cholangiocarcinoma, as do those with long-term swelling in the bowel (ulcerative colitis), a parasite in the liver (liver flukes), bile duct stones and liver cirrhosis. 

In England, around 2,800 people each year are diagnosed with bile duct cancer, according to Cancer Research UK, and this number is increasing. 

Sources: NHS and Cancer Research UK 

Daniella’s message has left the internet heartbroken, and many rushed to express their condolences and well wishes for her family. 

One said: ‘I’m literally in tears. Having been diagnosed with Stage 1A breast cancer in August, then surgery (lumpectomy) followed by radiation, this message from her hits home.’

Another said: ‘Wow. Such courageous words from someone that I’ve never met, but taught me a lot.’

A third commented: ‘You are an amazing lady, what a wonderful message to leave us with, may you rest in paradise.’ 

Daniella spent her last days at St. Gemma’s Hospice in Leeds. Her colleagues at 26 Agency have set up a fundraiser for the hospice in her memory, which you can visit here.  

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