Entertainment

Ashley Cain’s daughter dies: I will hold you again in heaven

Azaylia was diagnosed with an aggressive form of leukaemia when she was just eight weeks old.
Azaylia was diagnosed with an aggressive form of leukaemia when she was just eight weeks old.

Former footballer and Ex On The Beach star Ashley Cain’s eight-month-old daughter has died after suffering from an aggressive form of leukaemia.

Azaylia Diamond Cain was diagnosed when she was just eight weeks old.

A fundraiser to try to help save her life had reached more than £1.5 million.

Posting an image of his daughter in his arms, Cain wrote on Instagram: “Rest In Paradise Princess.

“I will always hold you in my heart until I can hold you again in heaven.”

Azaylia’s mother Safiyya Vorajee also posted a picture of herself cradling her daughter.

She wrote on Instagram: “You are my angel, my heartbeat, my soul.

“RIP my precious baby, you will always be with me like a handprint on my heart.”

Cain had been raising money for Azaylia to get specialist cancer treatment in Singapore.

After a successful bone marrow transplant, her leukaemia had rapidly multiplied and she had gone into a full relapse.

Doctors told the couple that chemotherapy would not be enough to cure her.

In November, the couple made a plea for people to register as a stem cell donor after being told their daughter required a transplant, which led to 41,000 people applying within 48 hours.

Cain had previously told how his daughter “shows us all everyday how much she loves life and wants to be here”.

Azaylia Diamond in hospital
Ashley Cain and Safiyya’s daughter Azaylia Diamond was diagnosed with an aggressive form of leukaemia (Anthony Nolan/PA)

And Vorajee recently said she was feeling “heartache more and more” as “nurses woke me up this morning for a home visit and told me to enjoy the weekend as they now think her body is slowly shutting down…”

“I’m so proud of how strong you are Azaylia,” she wrote.

“Azaylia you’re my inspiration and my hero mummy loves you.”

Kate Ferdinand, Alesha Dixon and Scarlett Moffatt were among the celebrities paying tribute.

Ferdinand wrote on Instagram: “So heartbroken for you all, rest in eternal peace beautiful Azaylia. Sending you so much love.”

Dixon wrote: “Rest in peace beautiful Azaylia”.

Moffatt wrote: “My prayers go to your beautiful princess and your whole family.”

Vogue Williams wrote: “Beautiful Azaylia, sending so much love”, and Vicky Pattison said: “I’m so sorry Ash… sending love.”