The family and friends of Falmouth teenager Sasha Watson have been left heartbroken following her death on Saturday, just two weeks after her 19th birthday and two years after she was diagnosed with a rare form of liver cancer.

Hundreds of her friends and supporters will gather at Gyllyngvase Beach at 4pm this Saturday to release balloons in her memory after some of her closest friends came up with the idea and posted the event on Facebook.

Sasha’s parents, Michelle Bray and Chris Watson, have taken considerable comfort from the many messages which have flooded in since they first posted news of their daughter’s passing.

The pair were at Sasha’s bedside at St Julia’s Hospice in Hayle when the ska-loving teenager succumbed to the cancer at 4.45am on Saturday. Her funeral service will take place at 2.30pm next Thursday, March 5, at Budock Church where she will be buried in the neighbouring cemetery.

Michelle and Chris have asked all those attending to wear bright colours, not black, and are inviting everyone to join them at Falmouth Football Club afterwards. As parking is so limited at the church, the football club has offered the use of its car park.

Sasha was first diagnosed with cancer just three days after her 17th birthday. She underwent several surgeries and 22 sessions in total of chemotherapy and while there had been hope she would win the battle, problems emerged just before Christmas.

“She had a bad reaction to the chemotherapy,” said Michelle. “Her immune system was fighting off the blood cells and they couldn’t get to the bottom of that. Her little system just starting rejecting it (the chemotherapy) and she started having bad reactions.”

Despite the setback, the family enjoyed a lovely Christmas and New Year together, but Sasha fell ill again shortly before her 19th birthday.

She had been admitted to the Royal Cornwall Hospital at Treliske where she stayed for about a week, but had been determined to be home for her birthday on February 2. She was allowed home on January 31, but not for long.

“She was too sick,” said Chris. “She could not keep anything down, could not take her medication so we took her back in on her birthday.

“She was there for two weeks and we were then given the option of staying there or they suggested a hospice.”

Michelle said they desperately wanted to bring their daughter home, but she was too weak and in too much pain. “The previous week had scared her,” said her mum, “she was frightened she would come home and have problems controlling her pain.”

As a result, Sasha was taken to the hospice on February 13 where she remained until her peaceful death. “We told her we would be there for her and that we loved her,” said Michelle, “and the girls (sisters Keita and Ria) came down regularly. I still cannot believe she has gone.”

Chris added: “We knew from day one that it was a very very rare type of cancer, but she lived life as much as she could and did what she could.”

Michelle added: “I do not want her to be forgotten. She was a fun loving and sassy girl and everyone has their memories of her – we just have to keep them strong.”