Shannon Cara Louise Unsworth

Our little princess SHANNON CARA LOUISE


Shannon entered the world on August 31st 2003 with her triplet sisters Lucy and Olivia. We were so blessed to have triplets. Three beautiful and adorable little girls who loved each other, were very close and just simply enjoyed being in each other's company.

Lucy, Shannon & Olivia grew up and became beautiful and funny little girls. They stuck together to entertain everyone and loved attention. Each had their own personality though. Lucy was the one who loved to be the leader and centre of attention. Shannon was happy go lucky, laid back and would take anything thrown at her and Olivia was the one who worried and needed reassurance. But together they were a proper team.

When the girls were 6 months old, I split up from their Dad. Life raising triplets was hard work and a big strain on our finances. Slowly we were growing apart and the girls were suffering from our constant fights. We decided to split but stay friends. The girls would see their Dad 3 times every week and stay over with him for 2 of the nights. They loved spending time with him but were always excited again to come back home.

In 2004 just after the girls had celebrated their 1st birthday they were getting ready to go to their Dad's but Shannon was just sleeping all the time. We'd all had coughs and colds so I just thought Shannon was coming down with it as well. I woke her up when her Dad came for her but she just slept on his shoulder until she was in the car and she slept all the way to his house too. Later that day he called to say he was worried. She was sleeping all the time but didn't have a temperature, rash or anything. All she was doing was sleeping. The next day Shannon was just the same so I picked her up from her Dad's house and took her to the doctors. He said he couldn't "find" anything particularly wrong with her and maybe she just needed sleep. 10 days later all she was doing was sleeping and panic was rising. Fast. My Mum and I took her back to the doctors and insisted something was done. He assured us there was nothing wrong but said he would do some blood tests. He told us to go back in a week for the results but assured us everything would be ok.

That weekend we went away to Butlins. We thought the activities and lively atmosphere would liven Shannon up but she was getting worse. She was starting to look pale and didn't even have the energy to eat or drink. We put her in the car and drove her to the nearest hospital. One of the red coats came with us to show us where we were going. I really thought they were going to say what our doctor had been saying and tell us that there was nothing wrong. Instead they admitted Shannon and the doctor asked if I had family who were with me for support. The red coat drove back to the camp and brought my partner Lee and my parents to the hospital. The doctor broke the news that Shannon was poorly. She had leukemia. Leukemia? Shannon? No that couldn't be right - our doctor had assured us she was just tired and she was ok. But in fact the hospital were right. Shannon was immediately started on intensive treatment. Eventually she was picking up a bit. She lost her hair and lost a lot of weight but Lucy and Olivia kept her going. She was so brave. We eventually got to the point where Shannon was allowed home but just went back for her "Magic Medicine". That's what Shannon used to call the chemo. Lucy and Olivia wore matching bandanas to help her cope with wearing hers. Shannon was in out of hospital in between treatments because everytime she got a cold or chest infection she would shoot down hill again and have to go back in hospital.

By the girls 2nd birthday Shannon was at the most crucial part of her treatment. She was so poorly that their birthday party had to go ahead without her. Lucy and Olivia blew out her share of the candles for her while Shannon had her own "quiet" party in the hospital with just me and her Daddy. From that day on I knew Shannon was going worse. Instead of getting better my little princess was slipping away from me. She had no interest in anything anymore. She was allowed home again but even Lucy and Olivia were finding it hard to make Shannon smile. Shannon was fed up and was finding her treatment a real struggle. On the 1st of December just as the girls were getting ready for Christmas, and opening their advent calenders, Shannon was admitted into hospital again. This time she didn't come home. She was very poorly and we all knew it. We didn't need the doctors to sit us down in the "Parents Room". Shannon was slipping away and there was nothing anybody could do.

We had an early Christmas that year - on December 10th we all piled into Shannon's room with lots of presents and at last we got a smile! Lucy and Olivia had worked the magic on her and the three of them sat on her bed playing with their new presents. We even had a Christmas Dinner and Christmas crackers. Shannon couldn't eat much and instead she picked up her pink princess doll which was her favourite present and lay down to go to sleep. Lucy and Olivia couldn't understand what was going on and why everyone was crying at what they thought was a "party". They were took home and from that day on Shannon's Dad and I never left her bedside. Family and friends came in to visit and each time they left with tears - wondering if that was the last time they were ever going to see our princess. On the 15th Shannon's fight had got the better of her and she passed away. Our hearts were broken but our only comfort was knowing she didn't have to have any more treatment and no more pain. She was at peace. Peace. Something she hadn't had for over 12 months.


Everyday we still cry for our little princess. Her photos are all over our house and her name is still on everybody's lips, but most of all Shannon Cara Louise Unsworth is living on in our hearts.


♥♥ GOODNIGHT GOD BLESS SHANNON. ♥♥ WE LOVE YOU AND MISS YOU SO MUCH.♥♥ PLAY NICELY IN HEAVEN ♥♥WAIT FOR US UNTIL WE ARE ALL TOGETHER AGAIN.♥♥ YOU ARE THE BRIGHTEST STAR IN THE SKY.♥♥ WE ALL LOVE YOU ♥♥




♥♥♥♥♥♥ SHANNON ♥♥ CARA ♥♥ LOUISE ♥♥♥♥♥♥