THE family of a teenager who contracted a rare but aggressive form of cancer have paid tribute to her after she lost her battle against the disease.

Stacy Montford, 14, died of desmoplastic small round cell cancer at her home in Melford Drive, Allington, Maidstone, surrounded by her family.

She died last month but her family have now found the courage to pay tribute to Stacy and also launch a fund to pay for research into the disease.

The cancer is made up of thousands of tiny tumours scattered throughout the body, making the cancer more difficult to treat than a single tumour. It is so rare, only 500 people in the world have it.

But despite the aggressive cancer forming lumps on Stacy’s body and head, the brave youngster didn’t let the condition stop her from doing the things she loved most, right up until the end.

The studious teenager also begged her head teacher at St Simon Stock School, Maidstone, to let her have her maths homework two days before she died.

Her proud mother Samora Moujalled said: “She loved school and that’s where she was happy.

“Even when she was critically ill, she still asked for her homework. One time, after a gruelling chemotherapy course she went back to school to sit an exam. She never used her illness as a reason not to do something.”

Her aunt, Edith Mukotekwa added: “Two days before she died she begged her headmaster to bring over her maths homework. She struggled through, but she was determined to finish it.”

Her grandad, Salim Moujalled, travelled from Ghana to attend his grand-daughter’s funeral, which took place on Friday, November 3.

He said: “Everyone spoke of her smile; it was her trademark. She had the most beautiful smile and the biggest brown eyes.”

Stacy died at home on Friday, October 21, and within hours of her death the family had been sent flowers from her school friends and members of the community.

Ms Moujalled has been touched by the support she has received since her daughter’s death.

The family received more than 300 sympathy cards and hundreds of people packed out St Francis Catholic Church in Week Street to pay their respects at her funeral.

She said: “We were shocked by how many people turned up. The church was packed, but it shows how popular and well liked Stacy was.

“She loved people and was so full of life.”

Ms Mukotekwa added: “She wanted to become a paediatrician so that she could tell the sick children that she had been once been ill herself.”

Stacy had also been presented with a gold Blue Peter badge for her bravery and met her favourite bands Blue and Westlife.

Stacy's aunt is determined to ensure her niece’s death wasn’t in vain. She intends to set up a fund in her name to raise awareness about the little-known disease.

Edith Mukotekwa said: “So few people know anything about desmoplastic small round cell cancer. We want Cancer Research to put this cancer on their list. I’m going to push this until everyone knows about it.

“Even though only about 500 people in the world has this cancer, I want to get it researched so no-one else has to go through what we have. It is such an aggressive and terrible cancer.”

The family has already set up their own coloured bracelet for the cancer, which they hope to start selling to raise money for charity.

Stacy’s head teacher, John McParland, paid tribute to the teenager. He said: “Stacy was an amazing and very special student. She was a courageous girl who always attended school, even when it was difficult for her to do so because she wanted to be at school with her friends and be an ordinary student doing the everyday things with her friends.

"She never gave in to her illness, even sitting her SATs exam one afternoon after receiving chemotherapy in the morning.

"She was a bright and conscientious student who was taken from us too early. She was in the prime of life with so much to look forward to. She inspired us all."

If you would like to find out more about desmoplastic small round cell cancer, visit www.dsrct.demon.co.uk