Brave little Hammer Isla Caton was laid to rest in a moving memorial service held at South Essex Crematorium on Friday morning.
Isla passed away in the early hours of Tuesday morning at the age of just seven, five years after being diagnosed with the rare child cancer neuroblastoma.
Thousands of well-wishers lined the streets of Isla’s hometown of Hornchurch as Isla made her final journey in a beautiful white carriage drawn by two white horses and covered in floral tributes.
Many are likely to have been Irons fans who over the years contributed around £800,000 towards an attempt to see surgery and medical attention provided to save her life.
Instead the little one passed away despite receiving the best treatment money can buy. Just 100 children on average are diagnosed with this condition each year.
She received long term attention in Barcelona where she was visited by Mark Noble, Robert Snodgrass and other Hammers on one occasion.
ClaretandHugh were among the many sites who organised fund raising events but in the end this was something money could not buy.