Sarah Harding of the British girl group, Girls Aloud, passed away at home after losing her battle with breast cancer at 39.
The pop star previously announced that she was diagnosed with breast cancer in August 2020. At the same time, Harding also revealed that it had spread throughout her body.
Over the weekend, Harding’s mother, Marie, took to her daughter’s Instagram to honour her, and share the news of her passing.
“It’s with deep heartbreak that today I’m sharing the news that my beautiful daughter Sarah has sadly passed away,” the message read.
“Many of you will know of Sarah’s battle with cancer and that she fought so strongly from her diagnosis until her last day. She slipped away this morning.”
“I know she won’t want to be remembered for her fight against this terrible disease – she was a bright shining star and I hope that’s how she can be remembered instead.”
I’m truly at a loss for words. Sarah’s beautiful spirit will live on forever!
Girls Aloud we’re fundamental in shaping the person I am today and Sarah really proved you can see the light and fun in life.
Sending so much love & support to Sarah’s family! ❤️
RIP Sarah Harding 🌹 pic.twitter.com/jHvU30DicX— Cheryl Hole (@CherylHoleQueen) September 5, 2021
Harding’s mother’s message was posted with a black and white portrait of Harding, smiling in a moment of candour.
In her autobiography, Hear Me Out, Harding shared that she’d initially put off tests to determine her diagnosis. The pandemic slowed things down and weighed heavily upon the late singer.
“…[C]oronavirus hit and everything either went into slow motion or stopped altogether … I was aware that I needed to get this health issue sorted, but with everything that was going on, it was tough.”
Harding’s bandmates, Nicola Roberts and Nadine Coyle, also paid tribute to the late singer on social media.
Roberts wrote: “There are so many things to say and at first it felt to[o] personal to put them here and then I remembered that are so many other people grieving her too … Electric girl, you made us. You gave it everything and still with a smile.”
Rest in peace Sarah Harding. Absolutely devastating and a huge loss – an integral part of a girl band that defined our generation growing up in the 2000s. Heartbreaking. pic.twitter.com/OSbeTvR80s
— Harrison Brocklehurst (@harrisonjbrock) September 5, 2021
Coyle was equally expressive, sharing that she was at a loss for words.
“I can’t think of words that could possibly express how I feel about this girl & what she means to me,” Coyle wrote under a picture of Harding caught in mid-laugh.
Harding was born on November 17, 1981 in Ascot, Berkshire. She rose to fame after her appearance on the talent show, Popstars: The Rivals, which helped form Girls Aloud. Along with her bandmates – Kimberley Walsh, Nadine Coyle, Nicola Roberts and Cheryl Cole – Harding and Girls Aloud would go on to become “Britain’s biggest-selling girl group of the 21st Century” with 4.3 million singles and 4 million albums sold.
