By Pam McClounie

Last updated at 14:12, Thursday, 11 October 2012

Tributes have been paid to a ‘happy’ girl who died after battling a rare illness.

Tatum Moss

Tatum Moss, 26, passed away in Newcastle’s Freeman Hospital on Sunday.

Tatum, of Scales, near Aspatria, died of the rare condition autoimmune hepatitis – an inflammation of the liver that occurs when immune cells mistake the liver’s normal cells for harmful invaders and attack them.

Her mum Samantha Wilson, 43, paid tribute to her beautiful daughter.

Speaking to the News & Star, Mrs Wilson said: “I will remember Tatum for her laugh. She had a good sense of humour and was a happy girl.”

Tatum, who was also a diabetic, worked as a cashier for Barclays Bank in Wigton and also part time at a pub in Welton.

Mrs Wilson, who lives at The Mews, Wellington House, Scales, said: “Sam had been a diabetic since she was 11 but in 2005 she was diagnosed with autoimmune hepatitis.

“It’s a very rare illness but despite this she was quite well apart from a few side effects – one of which was fluid retention. Her stomach would fill up with fluid which she hated.

“At the end of July she had some liver complications and her doctor sent her to the Freeman Hospital to get it sorted.

“She became very ill when she was in Newcastle and ended up on the intensive care unit.

“She had a tracheotomy fitted but four weeks ago she suffered an arterial bleed. A hole in the tracheotomy had eroded a blood vessel and caused it to burst.

“She was unconscious after that and she never came round.”

Tatum’s family were with her when she died.

Mrs Wilson, who works at Ravenstone Manor at Bassenthwaite, said: “It was a real shock when Tatum died as she had been looking forward to coming home.

“The last time she was conscious we were all sitting round laughing and joking. We could not believe how well she looked at the time.

“We are all devastated to lose her as she was just a happy girl. She loved walking her Labrador Alfie and going out with her friends.

“We moved up here from Rochdale when Tatum was about 10 and she went to St Matthew’s CofE School at Westnewton and then to Beacon Hill Community School in Aspatria. She moved away to Kent for a short time but then she got the job at the bank and they transferred her back up here.”

Tatum also leaves her stepdad David and her brother Connor, 15.

Her funeral will be held on Wednesday, October 17 at 11am at Carlisle Crematorium.

Tatum’s family has requested that donations can be made to Diabetes UK c/o David Mounsey Funeral Director, 55, Queen Street, Aspatria.

First published at 14:02, Thursday, 11 October 2012
Published by http://www.newsandstar.co.uk