British TV star Jade Goody dies on Mother's Day

H S Rao

London, Mar 22 (PTI) British TV star Jade Goody, who
shot to notoriety in India for racially abusing actress Shilpa
Shetty on 'Big Brother' show, lost her long and public battle
with cervical cancer on Mother's day Sunday.

Goody, 27, died in her sleep in the early hours Sunday
with her mother Jackiey and husband Jack Tweed by her side at
her home in Upshire, Essex at 0844 IST (0314 GMT), away from
public glare and cameras that dominated her short life.

She is survived by two sons Bobby (5) and Freddy (4)
and husband Jack Tweed, for whom she has left a fortune earned
by selling her cancer story to the media.

Goody sons had planned to hand over a hand-made cards
and flowers this morning to their mother.

The star, who was being treated at the Royal Marsden
Hospital in west London, was shifted to her home after
expressing the desire to die surrounded by her family.

She was in a coma-like state for last 48 hours.

Goody's mother Jackiey Budden said, "My beautiful
daughter is at peace."

Her publicist and close friend Clifford said "I think
she's going to be remembered as a young girl who has, and who
will, save an awful lot of lives."

"She was a very, very brave girl and she faced her
death in the way she faced her whole life - full on, with a
lot of courage," he said.

The star, who spent most of her adult life in the
media glare, breathed her last away from the flashlights
despite an earlier announcement that she might let her death
be captured on camera.

Clifford said he hoped Goody's family would be left in
peace to grieve while adding that it was "ironic" that the
young mother died on Mother's Day.

Harpal Kumar, UK's Cancer Research chief executive,
said, "We are very sad to hear of Jade's death and our
thoughts are with her family and friends at this devastating
time.

"Her brave battle with an aggressive form of cervical
cancer has received widespread public attention and encouraged
thousands of women to seek advice on how to prevent the
disease," Kumar added.

The dental nurse, who shot to fame as a Big Brother
contestant in 2002, has left a financially secure future to
her two sons by selling her struggle with cancer to the media.

Goody earned international notoriety after racially
abusing Bollywood actress Shilpa Shetty in the celebrity
edition of "Big Brother" in 2007.

The star later made-up with Shetty and even agreed to
appear on the Indian version of the show "Bigg Boss" hosted by
the Bollywood actress.

But ironically, Goody was forced to leave the show
after learning about her disease in August 2008. She flew back
to Britain to receive treatment.

However, in February this year, the star was told that
her cancer had become terminal and had spread throughout the
body.
Goody became a national hero in Britain for creating
public awareness about cervical cancer throughout her battle
with the disease.

After learning that she had only months to live, Goody
decided to get married to longtime boyfriend Jack Tweed in a
lavish wedding which earned her a million pounds through the
sale of coverage rights.

She was christened with her sons this month in a hope
to become guardian angel to them after her death.

On Tuesday, her publishers revealed she would also be
publishing a diary of her dying days.

The money that Goody earned through media coverage of
marriage, book rights and the documentary on her last days,
will go to her two sons.

A percentage of the profits will also go towards a
cancer charity.

The star had already planned her funeral and had told
her family members to make it a "celebration" of her life.
Goody had expressed her desire to have a traditional burial at
the local church close to her home.

"The funeral will be a celebration of Jade's life, a
reflection of how she's lived in the last seven years—full on.

"There will be tears, but a lot of love and laughter
as well," Clifford said.