The Radford family have been left in tears after the tragic death of a "beautiful, brave girl" who lost her fight against cancer aged just 17.
The 22 Kids and Counting stars took to social media to say their "hearts were broken" after Sophie Walker died on Saturday (July 6) after a seven-year battle with Wilms tumour. The teenager was diagnosed with the rare type of kidney cancer in 2017 after going to the doctors with a suspected stomach bug.
Her devastated parents Jamie and Rebecca, who are close friends with Sue and Noel Radford, have been fundraising for years with the hope of life-saving treatment becoming available which could cure their daughter. Over the following Sophie, from Edinburgh, went into remission twice but relapsed four times.
READ MORE: Sue Radford pays heartbreaking tribute to son on 10th anniversary of his stillbirth
After a long and brave fight with the rare cancer, Sophie's family revealed that she passed away as her twin sister Megan, 17, lay by her side. In a heartbreaking post, her family wrote: "Our beautiful, intelligent, funny and brave girl Sophie fell fast asleep last night just after 6.30pm with Megan lying by her side.
"We love her with all our hearts and our world will never be the same again, to say we are heartbroken is a complete understatement. Please keep our broken family in your thoughts and prayers, this is a post I never ever thought I’d have to write".
Sue, from Morecambe, led tributes on Facebook and penned: "I can’t even find the right words. Beautiful Sophie our hearts are broken
"You really were the most beautiful kind hearted funny and bravest girl. We will miss your beautiful smile and laugh so much. You rest now Sophie and take care of your beautiful amazing family. Love you forever beautiful Sophie."
Sue's daughter Chloe wrote: "Absolutely heartbreaking. Such a beautiful, brave girl. There really are no words. Keeping you all in my thoughts and sending so much love and strength."
Her sister Sophie added: "The most beautiful bravest girl. Our hearts are absolutely broken. Love you always Soph. God bless darling girl."
Katie, another Radford child, said: "Love you all so much, sending all my love."
Back in March, Jamie told EdinburghLive: "Sophie has a tumour which has grown into her spinal column and it has progressed so it is desperate times really. She doesn't have any symptoms but they found it during a routine cancer scan.
"We decided to see Professor Vogl in Germany as he does scans then goes into the groin and puts the chemotherapy directly into the tumour. She has had one of those procedures carried out but it is a horrible situation as she is so well at the moment and there's nothing else the NHS can do.
"To look at her she looks great but when her oncologist saw the tumour on her spine they said there is nothing more that can be done but in our mind we're not giving up on her."
Jamie explained how Sophie had been ruled out of all clinical trials and she had no other options left available on the NHS, the Daily Record reports. But, desperate to find a cure for their daughter's cancer, Jamie and Rebecca explored medical options across the world and set up a GoFundMe page which raised over £90,000 to help fund any alternative treatment.
Sophie's family were documenting her progress via a family-run Facebook page, posting regular updates on Sophie's condition with over 16,000 people following her journey. Earlier this year Sophie deteriorated to a point where she could no longer walk or use the toilet, and over the weekend Sophie 'fell fast asleep' with her twin sister and family by her side .
