A teenager who "lit up every room" and inspired many with her fighting spirit after being diagnosed with a brain tumour, has died.
Maisie Lossau, 17, from Russell Avenue in Spixworth, was described as "phenomenal" by her mother, Dawn Lossau.
Mrs Lossau, 50, said: "She had more fighting spirit than anyone I have ever met.
"She took everything in her stride. Everything was done with a smile. We laughed and cried - she was the most selfless person.
"She was so caring and loving. She was robbed of life through no fault of her own from a horrible disease. I will continue her fight and make sure her legacy survives.
"I will make sure her memory lives on."
Dawn has vowed to help other families of children with brain tumours in honour of her daughter.
"People recognised what an amazing young girl she was. She had a wicked sense of humour and could make you laugh with a facial expression, including a simple roll of the eyes.
"She lit up a room with her smile. It was contagious. When she laughed her whole face would scrunch up.
"She didn't understand why people felt the way they did about her. As far as she was concerned she was a normal girl who had been dealt a hard blow in life.
"You had never seen a child appear so happy with everything.
"She was awesome. If you could rewrite the dictionary, Maisie's name would come up beside 'inspirational' as the definition," Mrs Lossau added.
Maisie, who used to live in the Tuckswood area of Norwich, was diagnosed with a brain tumour in 2016 when she was 10.
The former Bignold Primary School youngster was a keen a gymnast and street dancer.
Medics removed 80pc of the tumour in 2016 which left her quadriplegic and unable to eat or breathe, which meant she had to have a tracheostomy.
The teenager then had radiotherapy in 2018 and 18 months of chemotherapy which ended in 2019.
Maisie had to have 24/7 care in her home, physiotherapy and had to use a wheelchair since 2016.
But Mrs Lossau said she and her husband, Darrell, 45, had been looking forward to the future for the first time.
This is because the remaining tumour had remained stable for more than two years and their daughter was doing well.
Despite her health conditions, Maisie, who was educated at home through an online provider, had completed a foundation level maths GCSE last year followed by a higher level maths qualification.
She wanted to study A-level maths and could reel off 24 Pi numbers while in the Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital (NNUH), just days before she died.
The teenager and former Hewett Academy pupil had also completed an English functional skills qualification during which time she wrote a poem called 'The Lonely Stag' and a story called The Truth, which will be published.
"It was a pretty phenomenal achievement. All her tutors are devastated by her death," Mrs Lossau added.
She said her daughter loved nature and spending time with friends.
This was key to their vision of a purpose-built garden annex for her to spend her adult years, which her parents had started developing.
Mrs Lossau wants to put a memorial to Maisie in place of that as well as helping people recognise the signs of brain tumours in children and families.
She added: "More should be done to help people in terms of awareness. There are a lot of people who don't know what support they are entitled to.
"I would say to parents: 'Never give in or give up fighting for your child. Don't be afraid to ask for help.'"
Maisie died at the NNUH on August 15 after she stopped breathing at home on August 9. She was resuscitated by her father.
Mrs Lossau thanked people who had sent love and support for Maisie from social media.
Poetic talent
The Lonely Stag, written in 2021, by Maisie is due to published in Inspired - A Collection of Poetry on September 2, 2022.
In a forest on a crisp Autumnal evening,
A collage of leaves kaleidoscopically littered the land.
A lone red, brown stag wandered among the sleeping trees,
Bellowing out as loud as a fog horn for a mate.
At last a silhouette of a hind in the moonlight gleaming,
A movement showed a shadow of a stag on the hillside grand,
The surrounding forest and its inhabitants resting with ease.
The approaching stags roared out to a challenge to decide their fate.
Their antlers crashing together, awoken animals scattering.
The hind looked on as the stags battled with all they could stand,
As a screeching orchestra rose from the trees which carried on the breeze.
The stags continued to rut with one emerging hoping to be her soulmate.
Rain began to weep from the heavens as the injured stag retreated heaving,
As the animals settled back to rest resuming as they were beforehand.
The stag and hind cuddled close feeling each other’s warmth so as not to freeze.
The stars winked down on them as the night drew late.
The lonely stag realised he was lonely no more.
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