Sunderland martial arts coach Amanda Lamb dies aged 36 after cancer battle

Amanda Lamb, 36 from Moorside sadly died on Sunday, August 1 after her battle with terminal cancer which spread across her body.

The mum-of-one was living with her sister Stacey Brickle, who looked after her sibling during the last months of her life.

Her family say Amanda, who was a martial arts coach at KM Martial Arts Academy in Castletown, died peacefully at her home in Sunderland surrounded by her brother and sister and will be laid to rest in her marital arts kit along with her belts ‘ready for her next fight’.

Amanda asked her sister Stacey to look after her son Thomas when she passed away.

The 36-year-old was undergoing chemotherapy to prolong her life and had asked her sister Stacey to bring up her four-year-old son Thomas when she passes.

Stacey said: “One of her last wishes was to be laid in her martial arts kit so she could be ready for her next fight, she was so strong and brave – She’ll be missed by so many.

"We started this journey together and we finished it together, I’m honoured that she asked me to bring up her son and I’m going to make sure he brought up to be an amazing person just as she was."

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Amanda with her sister Stacey who had been looking after her since the diagnosis.

The martial arts coach, who also has two step-daughters, was taken into hospital on Christmas Day last year and was diagnosed with rectal cancer which then developed to liver cancer.

Stacey added: “Things happened so quickly and we’re all devastated, but we’re a tough family and we’ll get through.

"She was a really popular woman and we have fulfilled all of her wishes, now we are remembering all the happy memories we all had together.”

Amanda’s funeral will take place on Tuesday, August 17 at 10.30am at Sunderland Crematorium and her family say those who want to celebrate Amanda’s life are welcome to join.

A fundraiser has been set up by a friend of Amanda’s to help cover costs of her funeral – you can donate here.

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