Over £1,000 will be donated to Harlington Hospice in memory of a 'determined and generous' grandmother who battled with cancer.
Born in 1945 in Kenya, Savarn Latta Dass came to Northwood aged 17 and later settled in Hayes for 37 years, where she raised five daughters with her husband, Mohanlal Bashamber Dass.
She sadly passed away aged 70, on Friday December 6, after battling with ovarian cancer for a year.
Her youngest daughter, Alka Dass, was in awe of the strength and dignity she showed throughout her illness.
She said: “She kept going and she kept fighting until the very end. Her will to survive was so strong.
“My mum was very dedicated to working for the family, very unselfish and always putting others before her and even in terms of her illness, she limited telling us how bad things were for her so that she could try and be as independent as possible.”
In her last days, Harlington Hospice provided Mrs Dass with nine nights of care, enabling her to stay at home with her loved ones.
The funeral was held on Friday, December 11, and instead of receiving flowers, the family asked that money would be donated to the hospice instead.
She 'made an impact'
In just one week, Mrs Dass' loved ones have raised over £1,500 for the charity in her memory.
Daughter Alka says her mother “made an impact” on the staff at the hospice and she met some “really lovely people” there.
She said: “My mum felt like part of a community where they provide support and they even provide transport for people.
“They had a lady over for therapy for her and us in the last few days, they provide a lot of emotional support too.
“Especially the ladies who came at night, they helped offer support emotionally to prepare us for what was round the corner.”
The family will present a cheque for a total of £1512.41 to Harlington Hospice, which will help fund the charity's Waking Nights, Complementary Therapy and Day Centre services.
Kathryn Underwood, of the Harlington Hospice Association, is “very pleased” that the family of Mrs Dass felt “so well supported by our staff and services.”
She said: “Harlington Hospice receive around a third of their funding from the NHS each year.
“The rest is contributed by our five charity shops, fundraising activities and from individuals and organisations that are impressed by the work we do.
“Our costs continue to rise each year and we are extremely grateful for the support we receive.”
For further information on the hospice services or ways to help them, visit their website or contact Kathryn Underwood 020 8759 0453.
