Paula Bradley from Maryville Walk died on December 6 after a courageous battle against osteosarcoma, a type of bone cancer, which was first diagnosed when she was only 15.
Throughout that time, she endured several gruelling courses of chemotherapy and invasive surgical procedures, but despite her pain her mother, Alicia, remembers a daughter who was always "full of fun, full of positivity and full of hope".
"Paula was amazing and kept fighting to the very last," said Alicia. "She even organised a surprise birthday party for me from her hospital bed following her final operation. Then, five weeks before she died, she was guest of honour at a formal evening held by the Shine a Light Foundation with which she had become very involved.
"She looked amazing and you would never have known that that very morning she had had 78 staples removed from her back.
"That is the sort of person Paula was; she just got on with things and she touched so many people she met in a very positive way."
Indeed, after being introduced to Shine a Light Foundation when she became ill, its founder Billy McCrory was quick to involve her in his mission to help others on a similar journey.
Paula had the chance to attend various concerts, a West End show and even meet her hero, rapper 50 Cent, through Shine a Light Foundation, but it was being able to pass on her hope and strength to other younger children battling cancer which she found the most rewarding.
Paying tribute to his greatest helper, Billy said Paula was a positive role model for all the sick children the charity set out to help.
"She positively shone and had a unique personality all of her own," he said.
"It is not an exaggeration to say that Paula left a lasting impression everyone she met."
One of those immediately struck by Paula's charismatic personality was the television presenter Lynda Bryans, who, along with her husband Mike Nesbitt, met Paula on the night of the formal.
She made a strong and instant connection with the young Banbridge woman, visiting her when she was moved to the Hospice in Newry and then attending her funeral earlier this month.
Paula had hopes of being a youth worker and had already started a course in Health and Social Care until her failing health prevented her from completing the course of study. And, according to her mentor for the past five years of her life, Billy said she certainly had the personality to make a success of it.
"Paula just had this outlook on life which made you sit up and take notice," he said. "She was for ever determined to beat the disease and that had a very positive impact on the younger children who were ill.
"She was a great support to them and no matter what she felt deep inside, she never complained and enjoyed all the experiences offered to her. At the formal, just a number of weeks before she died, I made her my guest of honour, and afterwards I asked her how she had enjoyed it.
"I knew she had had staples removed from her back earlier in the day and must have been in some pain, but she never referred to it.
"She said simply, 'All that was missing was a pumpkin.'
"That was typical Paula and it is how she will be remembered by her numerous friends."
Now, as a lasting tribute to her special daughter, Paula's mum Alicia, along with her aunt Caroline, are intent on organising a special fund-raiser evening for the Shine a Light Foundation to coincide with what would be Paula's 21st birthday on 18th May next year.
"This is something we want to do for Paula, as we know she would want us to give something back to this terrific charity which has done so much to help her and keep her happy during the many stages of her illness," said Alicia, who along with family members, has already helped raise £1,800 for the haemotology unit at the Royal Victoria Hospital for Sick Children.
Paula is much missed by her mum Alicia, father Michael, sister Laura, brother Gavin, aunts and uncles and large circle of friends who all attended her funeral mass at St Therese Church, followed by interment at St Patrick's Cemetery, Banbridge.