‘Do not cry for me’, says breast cancer campaigner in final post

In her post, she said she had joined the social media platform “because I needed an outlet” but “what I got was so much more”.

“You made me feel validated in my feelings and much less alone. Thank you.”

Former BBC newsreader Beccy Barr, who attended the same school and has been diagnosed with abdominal cancer, posted a tribute, saying: “In recent months we reconnected and she was incredibly empathic and supportive of my terminal diagnosis as she handled her own. What a wonderful woman.”

Nicola Nuttall, whose daughter Laura, 23, died of brain cancer while achieving a bucket a list of ambitions, posted that she was “heartbroken that we’ve lost this truly incredible woman”.

Speaking about climbing Pendle Hill with Ms Rackham, in memory of Laura, Nicola added: “Kate really knew how to live, she wanted to come up Pendle but wouldn’t wait for better weather because she knew better than anyone the value of a single day.

“We nearly got blown off but it was brilliant, so glad we met.”