MUM Ann Sandeman, who fought a colossal 11-year battle with cancer, has died at the age of 48.

Ann became an award-winning ambassador for Cancer Research UK, sharing her story far and wide to help inspire others to fundraise.

Over the years, she defied medical predictions time and again.

Her mantra became: “I don’t have time to die – I have three children to bring up.”

But eventually the disease overwhelmed her.

She died peacefully, surrounded by her family, in St Michael’s Hospice, Hastings, on November 1.

While fighting for her life, Ann, a single mum to Hannah, Emma and Ben, appeared in videos, TV adverts, press campaigns, social media posts and radio interviews, urging people to support Cancer Research UK’s life-saving work.

She, her family, friends, the children’s schools and members of Hastings and Bexhill Rugby Club, where she had previously captained the ladies’ team, raised thousands of pounds for CRUK.

As well as community accolades, Ann was presented with CRUK’s Flame of Hope Ambassador of the Year award in 2015.

Ann, from Hillside Road, Hastings, worked for Barclays until her health forced her to retire.

She was first diagnosed with breast cancer in 2007.

She took part in Race for Life, unaware she was in the early stages of breast cancer - and pregnant with her third child.

She bravely went ahead with chemotherapy during her pregnancy and Ben was born healthy and well.

A year later, Ann was told she was clear of cancer, and she decided to share her story publicly.

But in 2010, came the devastating news that the cancer had returned and was treatable but not curable.

There then followed endless rounds of chemotherapy, radiotherapy, major surgeries and countless hospital visits and consultations.

And through it all, she continued to campaign and fundraise.

She appeared in a TV advert for CRUK when she had lost all her hair.

Her parents, Monica and Anthony and siblings Simon and Sarah, released a statement saying they were ‘mourning the terrible loss of a lady who had family at the forefront of her life’.

“Ann fought her long battle with minimal complaining, always finding the positive in every situation and would put her own battle to one side in order to support those friends and family she held so dear,” it said.

Lynn Daly, spokeswoman for CRUK, said: “Ann was an extraordinary woman with a huge heart, a fierce spirit and boundless love for her children.

“She was utterly determined to live and when it came to telling her story, she was passionate, articulate and fearless. She was a glowing example of someone ‘living with’ rather than ‘dying from’ cancer.

“Over the years she became not just a star supporter of CRUK but a personal friend to myself and my colleague Eileen Condon. And that was easy – she was great fun to be with and a solid drinking buddy – she loved a glass of Prosecco!

“We meet many impressive and inspiring people in our line of work, but Ann took your breath away – she was a warrior.

“She didn’t want to be in the limelight. And she’d tell you she wasn’t brave. She simply wanted to live to be with her children.

“I’m incredibly sad we couldn’t save her. But it makes us all the more determined to work even harder to do what Ann wanted – more research to save more lives in the future. Thank you Annie.”

A celebration of Ann’s life will be held at Holy Redeemer Church, Hastings on November 23.