Tributes have been paid to Carly Flook, a 30-year-old Cwmbran woman who passed away on Boxing Day. She had been diagnosed with leukemia in 2019 and undergone “many rounds of chemotherapy.”

Her friends have set up a GoFundMe page to support her family. Abigail Flook, her sister, has led tributes and told how Carly was like her twin, as they “were so close.” Before Carly was diagnosed she and Nick, her partner had “taken on his niece as their own.”

She said: “In April of 2019 Carly was diagnosed with acute myeloid leukemia. Before this Carly was like any other girl in her 20s enjoying life with her family and friends. Before learning of her diagnosis Carly and Nick, her partner of 12 years had taken on his niece as their own. Carly and the little girl Lexxi had soon become like mother and daughter.

“Upon learning of her diagnosis Carly soon began many rounds of chemotherapy and later down the line needed to have a bone marrow transplant, which she had later on in the year in October.

“After her bone marrow transplant Carly had to have monthly biopsies to check that the leukemia hadn’t returned but with great devastation learned from her sixth-month biopsy that it had returned.”

She “kept a smile on her face.”

“Throughout this Carly kept a smile on her face and showed great amounts of strength and courage. Her family and friends always remained hopeful and was only able to remain like this as Carly gave everyone her strength in the hardest battle of her life.

“Carly had to undergo more sessions of chemotherapy but also needed another bone marrow transplant or the leukemia would return. ”

She went to hospital on 9 November to start the process for the second bone marrow transplant.

“Unfortunately after having the bone marrow transplant Carly had become very poorly where she ended up needing treatment in intensive care. Carly had started to make improvements but again deteriorated and sadly passed on 26 December, six days after her 30th birthday for which she was heavily sedated. due to her being so poorly. She was never able to speak again with her loved ones.

“She was extremely close with her family, her mother, sister, partner, younger siblings, grandchildren, and the children, her little girl Lexxi and nephew Jacob, she adored them all. The family referred to her as the boss as she always told them the right thing to do and helped them with anything and everything.”

“Carly also has an amazing group of friends who are trying to support the family at this heartbreaking time.”

“People say time is a header”

“I love my sister with all my heart and I known people say time is a healer but I can’t ever see me getting on with life without her. We would refer to ourselves as twins as we were so close. I hate using the past tense, we will remain close forever. My mother, Carly’s partner Nick and I would like to thank Carly’s friends as they are trying to help in any way they can and have done some lovely things in honour of her.

“She would be proud of them, she loved all her friends.”

Donate to GoFundMe

Click here to donate to the GoFundMe appeal that Carly’s friends have set up.

Carly Flook’s funeral

A private family service will take place on Thursday 14 January at 12.30pm at Gwent Crematorium.Abigail said: “We are only allowed 20 in the crematorium but anyone who knows Carly or the family, and would like to pay respects are allowed to line the roads by the crematorium. We are hoping to see people wearing something leopard print as she loved leopard print and is even having a leopard print coffin.”