TRIBUTES have been paid to a popular Wombwell woman who was discovered dead in her daughter’s home.
Amanda Burkinshaw, 52, from Wortley Avenue, had been house-sitting for daughter Emily when her husband Gary found her last Wednesday.
Emily, a nurse, said her mum, known as Mandy, had suffered with severe depression since being diagnosed with breast cancer six years ago.
Despite a lumpectomy and radiotherapy, she said her mum was always concerned the cancer could return.
Mandy also suffered from severe back problems and was in the process of preparing to undergo a new treatment, a spinal implant, which could have resolved her pain.
But a psychological assessment, required before the procedure could go ahead, had been deferred by Mandy the month before she died, and Emily thinks this could be a sign that her mum thought a professional could have identified her as having problems.
Emily, 27, said: “Up until six years ago when she got breast cancer she was a fun, outgoing person who liked a good drink and liked her social life with lots of friends.
“She got breast cancer aged 46 and it ruined her as a person. She never got over the fact she had cancer and was so scared about it coming back. It was the focus of so many conversations, the slightest thing would cause her worry.”
Emily was on holiday with her brother Joshua, 23, in Mexico when Mandy died.
“My mum and dad were looking after the house and between them would go up, with my mum sleeping there at night.
“He dropped her off and they said love you and night. Then from what we have seen she rang the Samaritans at three minutes past 12 on Tuesday night and told them she was going to take her life.
“The next morning, because of the medicine for her back - she was on a lot of morphine - she would sleep in. So when it got to 10am my dad didn’t think anything of it.
“But about 11am my dad went up and couldn’t get in. So he rang his friend and he came with the ladders, broke in and then found mum. I’ve got to be strong for dad. He has lost his world.
“We knew she had depression but she had never said anything about suicide, she was desperate for grandchildren. Me and my partner have been together 13 years and we are getting married next year.
“I think that was partly what scared her, the idea that cancer could stop her being able to see them.”
Mandy’s funeral is on December 7 at 1.30pm at Ardsley Crematorium and then to Locky’s Bar afterwards. Bright colours are requested and people can fetch flowers or donate to Radar Dog Rescue.
