Identical twin dies weeks after setting up leukaemia fundraiser

A 24-year-old woman has died just weeks after beginning fundraising for life-saving leukaemia treatment.

Caitlin Leggett's shock acute myeloid leukaemia diagnosis in April 2025 led to the discovery that she and her sister Grace were actually identical twins rather than fraternal, at a time when Caitlin urgently needed a stem cell transplant.

Following months of chemotherapy and a stem cell transplant in December 2025, Caitlin achieved complete remission – but in May 2026, doctors found the cancer had returned and she was told she had six months to live.

"We're only 24 – nobody expects this to happen... Being twins as well, you're not supposed to have one twin not be there," said her twin Grace.

Her family decided to pursue potentially curative treatment abroad, and a GoFundMe was launched on 2 June, raising more than £100,000 towards her treatment by 10 June.

But on Saturday June 13, Caitlin experienced a sudden, serious brain bleed, followed by a series of strokes, and her health rapidly declined.

She died two days later, surrounded by Grace, along with her brother Ethan, 27, sister Neve, 19, and her parents Jennifer, 54, and Ian, 57.

"It was really hard," Grace said.

"We all got the chance to speak to her. Neve put her favourite pillow spray on, we massaged her hands with lotion, and the nurses gave us a memory box with special paper and a charcoal wipe, so we could take her footprints and hand prints."

Grace also played piano for her sister, and Caitlin passed away peacefully while music from her favourite pianist, Patrik Pietschmann, was played on a speaker.

Grace said her sister had been scared of dying when she learned she had six months to live, but added: "But I think she was scared of a slow death, knowing she could die in six months.

"So I'm just really grateful that it was really quick, and she didn't know."

Caitlin and Grace had always been close, and shared a student house as they both studied at the University of Bristol.

During Caitlin's illness, Grace quit her job as a complex care personal assistant in Bristol to move back to Cardiff to be closer to her family.

Caitlin and Grace had been believed to be fraternal twins because they developed in different amniotic sacs, but doctors found their markers were exactly the same while assessing Grace as a potential stem cell donor.

While the news came as a surprise, it also complicated Caitlin's treatment as Grace was no longer eligible to donate her stem cells to her sister due to their near-identical DNA.

The morning before Caitlin was admitted into hospital for the final time, she, Grace and Neve went to try on bridesmaids' dresses together.

Their dad and his partner, Sarah, were planning a wedding, and Caitlin was due to be Sarah's maid of honour.

"She mentioned to a couple of people that she was the happiest that she'd ever been in her last two weeks," said Neve.

"Even though she won't be there for the wedding, we got to get dressed up, all together."

Ethan said his resounding memories of Caitlin will be those filled with laughter.

"She was just really funny. It's not the type of funny that's just telling jokes, it's sibling banter that just bounces off each other – we're just one upping each other, like tennis," he said.

"Caitlin was a warm, bubbly, humble and loving daughter who was considerate and endlessly kind to others," added the siblings' mum, Jennifer.

"She was fiercely independently-minded and stoic in her attitude to life."

Leukaemia is cancer of the white blood cells, and acute leukaemia means it progresses quickly and aggressively, and usually requires immediate treatment.

According to the NHS, external, symptoms of AML can include looking pale, feeling tired or weak, breathlessness, unusual and frequent bruising or bleeding and losing weight without trying to.

Caitlin's dad Ian praised his daughter's "fighting spirit" and how she "never gave up hope", as well as her "ability to live in the now and not worry about things outside of her control".

"Caitlin was very positive and had the outlook that things will always be OK in the end, and if it's not OK, it's not the end," he added.

On June 27, the Leggett family paused the GoFundMe that was set up for Caitlin's treatment. The total stands at £127,722, and Grace said the money will go to charity or to honour Caitlin's memory.

A donation will be made to Teenage Cancer Trust to fund a lead nurse who strategically oversees the whole service in the Cardiff and South Wales area for a year.

A second donation will be made to Leukaemia UK to fund a research grant which will support the development of new ideas and translate scientific advances into clinical practice for leukaemia treatment.

A small amount will also be used for tree planting, memorial plaques, school awards and a dedicated piano in the hospital.