A barrister has told the inspirational story of his wife’s determined bid to get to the polling station and vote for her local MP while she was dying of cancer.

Wandsworth Times:

Determination: Mr and Mrs Moll at the polling station at St Barnabas' Church Hall on Thursday 

Christiaan Moll’s wife Helen died at the age of 52, yesterday morning, after fighting a very rare form of cancer for six years.

Mrs Moll, who worked in the finance department at Broomwood Hall School, had Leiomyosarcoma diagnosed in 2008 and underwent multiple operations and chemotherapy. However, the cancer continued to spread, affecting her lungs and ability to breathe.

Despite being seriously ill in Trinity Hospice, Mrs Moll fought against advice and went to vote for Justine Greening, who helped her family and wrote to Inland Revenue when they were struggling with tax payments in the midst of Mrs Moll’s treatment.

Her family, including her two daughters Francesca, 21, who studies at Durham University, and Christina, 18, at Oxford University, have been inspired by her determination.

Mr Moll, 52, from Southfields, said: “She was a real fighter. This fighting spirit can be seen in the fact that she went to vote.

“She was admitted to hospital on April 30 and she said I’m going to vote on May 7. It is testimony to her determination and spirit she did it. Considering she had all these operations and chemo she kept on.

Wandsworth Times:

Family: Mrs Moll with her two daughters Christina and Francesca 

“She felt she had to vote for Justine Greening. [Inland Revenue] wanted my outstanding tax straight away or they were going to bankrupt me.

“No one lives over five years with this particular cancer after it goes secondary and did for six-and-a-half years. She had one of the worst cancers and she just kept on fighting it. It is quite a miracle she survived so long. There were so many people who admired her spirit.

“She was a very good listener, she would listen to people’s problems and never gossip. She loved the beach, sewing and our two little dogs. It was a great sadness to her she didn’t have enough breath to walk the dogs anymore after the cancer went into her lungs. I was there when she died, it is still pretty raw. It was only yesterday.”

Ms Greening scooped a whopping 23,018 votes in last week’s election, storming to victory for her third term as Putney’s MP.

She said she was very sorry to hear the sad news about Mrs Moll and that she will be sending her condolences to Mr Moll.

Wandsworth Times:

Justine Greening on election night 

A date is yet to be set for Mrs Moll’s funeral. If you would like to donate to Trinity Hospice visit www.trinityhospice.org.uk/donate.