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Advertiser mourns chief reporter Louise Hill

The Ilkeston Advertiser’s chief reporter Louise Hill has lost her brave fight against cancer.

Louise (27), had been battling against bowel cancer for more than two years.

She died peacefully at home in Barton-under-Needwood with her family at 6am on Saturday, August 26th.

Her battle had been a long one after her condition was mis-diagnosed several times by doctors.

It was only through her perseverance to get a second opinion that a large lump was located on her left ovary, and Louise was referred for surgery to have it removed.

Four specialists had examined her blood and concluded that Louise had ovarian cancer.

At the time, Louise said: “My only choice was to cling to the conviction that the surgery had saved my life and convince myself that the nightmare was over, no more surgery and no more hospitals.”

But for the following eight weeks, recovering from surgery, her original symptoms continued.

Doubts about her original diagnosis were then confirmed when Louise was referred for a colonoscopy. The camera showed that the primary cancer was located in the bowel and had gone unnoticed by doctors. Despite her terrible ordeal, and being faced with a new struggle, Louise fought on relentlessly.

She remained positive, strong, and confident that she could beat the disease.

She faced major surgery again eight weeks later to remove the tumour and was given 12 sessions of intensive chemotherapy.

During this time she felt she needed to make people more aware of the symptoms of bowel cancer.

In July last year she joined thousands of women to raise money for Imperial Cancer Research at the Race For Life at Colwick Park, Nottingham.

Louise had said that as a sufferer involved in the media she felt she should make it her duty to highlight the disease and support research into finding new treatments to combat it.

Earlier this year, a scan revealed that the cancer had spread to her liver and she was given a higher dose of chemotherapy, but her determination to carry on as normal stayed the same.

Emma Croghan, Louise’s sister-in-law, said: “After her illness started she still carried on working, and even became Chief Reporter on the Ilkeston Advertiser. Despite what happened it didn’t make her a different person.”

Louise was born in Burton where she grew up. She attended Robert Sutton High School in Burton, where she met her husband, Alistair Hill, whom she married in April last year.

She studied History with Media at Trinity and All Saints at Leeds University before studying for her journalism exams at Stradbroke College in Sheffield.

Her first job as a journalist was with the Ilkeston Advertiser where she had worked for three years.

She leaves her mother and father Patrick and Rita Croghan and brothers Stuart (30) and Jeremy (36).

Editor of the Ilkeston Advertiser, David Horne, said of Louise: “News of Louise’s death brought great sadness to the office.

“Louise was a highly respected reporter in the local community. She had her own special brand of humour and kindness with the people she dealt with and will be greatly missed.

“Despite her long illness, and the treatment it entailed, she turned in for work when she could and was never happier than when she was reporting local events and helping people with a problem.

“She did it always with a smile and always displayed a genuine concern for her work.

“It will be difficult for us all to get over this shocking news, but we all share our own very special memories of a young woman who brought something special to this office and to those with whom she worked.”

The funeral was due to take place today, Friday September 1.

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