Wife of Sheffield Wednesday fitness coach loses battle with cancer

The wife of Sheffield Wednesday fitness coach Andy Kalinins has died after losing her battle with cancer
Hayley and Andy Kalinins and their four childrenHayley and Andy Kalinins and their four children
Hayley and Andy Kalinins and their four children

Hayley Kalinins, a mum-of-four whose husband is tasked with keeping Sheffield Wednesday players fit, lost her fight to the disease yesterday, leaving family and friends heartbroken.

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In a post on Facebook, her husband said: 'I have just told the children. I need time to sort everything out.

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'I did everything I could to support Hayley in her battle with cancer. In the end the cancer killed her.

'I will not let cancer destroy the family Hayley made. Thank you for all the messages. I will reply. I just need time now.'

Hayley and Andy Kalinins and their four childrenHayley and Andy Kalinins and their four children
Hayley and Andy Kalinins and their four children

Hayley, aged 37, documented her fight for life on a Facebook page she set up to provide updates on her cancer battle after launching an appeal for cash to help fund treatment in a specialist clinic in Germany.

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Over £235,000 was donated by well wishers, with Sheffield Wednesday first team players among those to help fund the treatment in the hope of allowing Hayley more time with her family.

Hayley, who had secondary breast cancer, underwent immunotherapy treatment in Germany, which is designed to boost the body's natural defences to fight cancer.

Medics said there were no more treatment options available for Hayley in the UK after she underwent around 70 gruelling rounds of chemotherapy and surgery.

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In one of her heart-wrenching videos she posted on Facebook when she was appealing for financial support for her treatment, she said: "To be told by a doctor that there is nothing else, nobody can ever explain what that feels like. To get those words that there's nothing they can do for you, that was really hard, really, really hard.'

Hayley, from Derby, was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2011 and it later spread to her liver and lungs.

In one of her last posts on Facebook she wrote: 'Never did I think at the age of 30 I would be diagnosed with stage four breast cancer. Four young children having to face see their mother go through constant treatment indefinitely.

'The whole journey from start to finish has been living nightmare for my family. But with all your support and love and donations you have made this slightly easier for us. I feel grateful to be here today even though I'm in hospital with cancer spread throughout my body and with little quality of life, I'm still alive.

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'I will be home later tonight after more scans.  I am going to give the children the biggest hug of their lives. I continue to do everything in my power to be on this planet for as long as possible. I have hope that I will get control back again. 'I never thought when I was diagnosed I would be here seven years on. But as you can see from the donations we have received it '˜has' made a difference. I have pushed for best access to drugs and also tried so many of the alternative ways to treat cancer along with conventional proven treatments. The treatment I received in Germany kept me so strong for two whole years.'