THE memory of a brave young woman who lost her battle with cancer will live on at Franklin College.
Nicole Williams wanted to become a nurse and help children, and was studying health and social care at the college when a rare form of cancer, known as ewings sarcoma, returned in April 2012.
The brave Louth girl had already beaten the disease once while in primary school, but this time it was discovered at too late a stage for her to recover.
Despite the sad news, mum Samantha said Nicole – who was just 17 – kept on smiling and acted as "the rock of the family" when everyone else felt like going to bits. She died in December.
Now, a pink bench in her memory has been unveiled at the college.
Samantha, 37, of Louth, said: "Nicole was brave and strong.
"She lived life to the full and refused to let things get to her, just taking every day as it comes and enjoying it.
"Her strength and happiness were an inspiration to the whole family and everyone still remembers her beautiful smile."
Nicole had been clear from the illness for more than five years, but remembered the support people in health and social care had been to her – which is why she wanted to work in the profession.
Samantha said: "She was always cagey about who she told about what happened back then – she wanted to be known as Nicole, not the girl who had had cancer.
"But she remembered all the people who helped her and wanted to give something back. I think she wanted to help children in the same situation."
Nicole "absolutely loved college" and her friends at Franklin – and those friends decided to do something in her memory.
They held a number of fundraising events to get the cash to buy a bright pink bench with a plaque dedicated to Nicole to remember her by.
Money leftover was given to the Ewings Sarcoma Research Trust.
Samantha has visited the bench a few times and Nicole's gran, aunt, uncle and sister have, too.
Her mum added: "Pink was always her favourite colour – she was a girly girl when she was growing up.
"Nicole loved it here – her friends have done her proud and she would be over the moon to find out that this was here in her memory.
"It's overwhelming for me to think that people loved her so much they would go out of their way to do this for her."
Click here to read about Nicole's friends raising money for her here
