Belinda Skewes in March with her husband Nathan and children William, 1, Ryan, 8, Baylee, 11, and Ashleigh, 2.
BELINDA Skewes — “full-time mum of four, wife and cancer fighter” — has lost her short but brave battle with the illness.Belinda passed away at Gandarra on Thursday after being diagnosed with metastatic cancer last December.She leaves behind her husband Nathan and four children, Baylee, 11, Ryan, 8, Ashleigh 2, and William, 1.Belinda, 36, told her story to The Courier in March where she said she wasn’t afraid of dying.“It’s not that I’m scared of it and it’s not that I’m in denial,” she said.“All my energy goes into the kids.”Belinda’s cancer was of unknown origin but quickly spread to her breast, left ovary, ribs and legs after being diagnosed by a CT scan in December last year.She underwent several weeks of chemotherapy but was unable to halt the cancer spreading.Her husband Nathan yesterday paid tribute to his much-loved wife.“Belinda was my best friend and meant a lot to a lot of people,” Nathan said.“Belinda passed away peacefully and gracefully and has left her family very proud.“We all have a long road ahead but we feel incredibly loved and supported.”Nathan thanked the staff of both Hospice and Ballarat Health Services who had made his wife’s final days so peaceful, and also his and Belinda’s family and friends.“I love you all.”Tributes on Belinda’s Facebook page recall a mad Collingwood supporter who was better known by the nicknames Lindy, Bel, Miss Lindy, Baby Girl and LindyBelle.“Your wit could cut through stone and your heart could melt a glacier,” her cousin Thomas Minogue posted.“I promise to be your hand when the kids fall or your ear when they need to talk.”Friend Kylie Giddings posted “you can now sing Good Old Collingwood Forever as loud as you like!”Amanda Smith wrote: “My friend Lindy, cancer may have touched your body but not even for a second did it touch your spirit.”Nathan gave up his job at Wilson’s Fruit and Vegetables to be his wife’s full-time carer.Belinda’s funeral service will be held at the Ballarat Funeral Centre at 2pm on Monday.