I heard at the beginning of December 2010 that Didi had colorectal cancer and came down to se eher. I found her out shopping and we picked her up on a cold day in East Grinstead. She was buying me Christmas presents - the Tunisian sweeties she always remembered I had liked, and chocolate covered dates and apricots that I enjoyed over Christmas. We had a lovely family lunch together, Mum, Patrick, Didi and me. Didi ate well that day. We spoke on the phone frequently that month and then, after Xmas, Didi was admitted to St Catherine's Hospice for what she told me was "respite care". She also told me she wanted to be at Mum's flat and I agreed to come and make the flat suitable for her care, and look after her. A few days later, she rang from the Hospice and finally admitted that her cancer was terminal and would I hurry up and come? My family gave me hugs and Thea gave me Terry's chcolate orange by way of comfort and I packed my bags. I was shocked when I got to the Hospice to see how tiny Didi looked. She was fast asleep on the bed. St Catherine's was lovely and quiet, with superb nursing. Didi still hoped to come home but when I saw the doctor he explained to me how little time we had and how much care she needed to keep her comfortable. Over the next week to ten days we had many good times together. Didi's laugh rang down the corridor talking to friends on the phone or to her many, many visitors. Calls and visits from across the world touched her deeply. Didi said she had wanted just two things in recent times, a new Macbook and a puppy. We supplied the Macbook, and just as she was saying this to me, someone came by with one of the dogs from the pet therapy scheme! We had a laugh and a pet of the dog. Didi started to sleep most of the time, but even then reacted to people talking around her and showed what she thought of their jokes and comments. Finally, after spending her last days and hours with those she loved most, she slipped away quietly in her mother's arms at 6am on the 13 January. Her funeral was held on 31 January at Our Lady and St Peter's Catholic Church in East Grinstead. In accordance with her wishes she was buried in a double grave where her mother will one day join her in the Catholic section of the local cemetery - section 4U of Mount Noddy (the name would have made her laugh). We placed lovely flowers - and bonbons - on her grave in bright sunshine and had a reception at Yew Lodge, East Grinstead for some 70 friends and family. We played her favourite music from Bobby Vee to Elvis, Charles Asnavour and Jacques Brel (including "je vous apportai les bonbons."