Braveheart Paul never gave up his cancer fight

A CANCER hit teenager planned his own funeral and even designed a memorial bench for his school before he died.

Paul Davies, 17, passed away at the Sick Kids hospital on Sunday following a four-year battle with leukaemia, after enduring two bone marrow transplants and months of intensive chemotherapy.

So inspirational was his courage throughout his ordeal, the Davies family gave him the nickname "Braveheart".

In his final weeks, Paul, made arrangements for his funeral and even used birthday money to have a hand-crafted memorial bench made from elm wood, as something for his classmates at Currie High School to remember him by.

And influenced by the Hollywood film of the same name, the tenacious teenager even devised a bucket-list of feats he wanted to achieve in his last few months.

Among the items on his agenda was racing at Knockhill Race Track for the first time - clocking the fastest lap on the track that day - and building a herb garden for his parents' backyard.

Mum Ruth paid tribute to her inspirational son who "always had a smile on his face".

She said: "Paul knew he was going to die. He told us he wanted to be cremated and even chose the songs he wanted to play at his funeral. He wanted to hold a collection for the charities that were so good to him."

And she added: "He never gave up on anything and was determined that he was going to do everything he could possibly do until the last day.

"It took so much courage and I called him Braveheart."

Paul was diagnosed with a rare form of blood cancer called acute lymphoblastic leukaemia after his parents noticed he had lost his appetite and was shedding weight on a family holiday in 2006.

Dad Stephen said: "That was the start of the bad dream."

He quit his job as a dental technician to provide round-the-clock care and drive his son to his many hospital appointments in Edinburgh and Glasgow. Endless bouts of chemotherapy followed and Paul successfully came through a bone marrow transplant until, seven months after the treatment concluded, the cancer returned. He then chose to undergo another bone marrow transplant. The teenager was in remission for a further six months until doctors again found cancer following tests.

In March 2009, two weeks before his 16th birthday, doctors predicted Paul had just six weeks to live. Despite his illness, he successfully sat his Standard Grade exams in English, Maths, History and CDT.

Paul began responding to palliative chemotherapy and was again in remission before discovering in June this year that his cancer had returned.Ruth said: "I think the doctors were surprised how well he coped with it."

In his last six weeks, Paul was twice honoured with commendations for his bravery and attitude both from his school and the Well Child charity. Too weak to walk, his sister Gillian, 22, pushed his wheelchair down the aisle at assembly to a standing ovation from friends as he collected his award.

His mum said: "He never complained. When he died he still had that wonderful smile on his face."

And his father Stephen said "It is quite comforting that he is at peace and that he has helped and inspired some people in his own way."A celebration of Paul's life will be held at Juniper Green Parish Church, on Saturday, July 24, at 10am.