THE ROYAL Air Force in Odiham has paid tribute to an inspirational woman after she lost her battle with cancer last month.

In April 2016, Flight Sergeant Anna Irwin was diagnosed with a stage 4 incurable lung cancer and spent eight months receiving chemotherapy every threes weeks, but the treatment was ineffective.

She died in October.

A ramp ceremony was held at RAF Odiham on Friday, 17 November, after which Anna was flown by Chinook from Odiham to Staffordshire on Monday, 20 November, where a ceremony was held at MoD Stafford.

Anna was posted to RAF Odiham in 2007 and during her time with the squadron she was deployed to Afghanistan on numerous occasions. In 2013 she was awarded Airman of the Year for courage shown under fire.

In Odiham, in military tradition, a firing party gave a 12-gun salute followed by a flyover by 2 RAF Odiham Chinooks, who carried out a ‘missing man’ formation over the airbase hangar.

At the ceremony in Staffordshire, the congregation of her family and friends were joined by service personnel from across Anna’s career; many dressed in bright colours or in football strips, in keeping were her wishes.

When Anna was diagnosed with cancer, she decided to fundraise for cancer charities including The Royal Marsden Hospital, where she received treatment, and the Teenage Cancer Trust.

In the last 18 months of her life she completed an array of challenges including climbing Ben Nevis, skydiving from a Chinook and even a half-Iron Man in Barcelona. Her fundraising surpassed £70,000.

Anna lost her battle just two weeks before a fundraising party was due to take place at RAF Odiham on Friday 27 October to close a year of events.

Her wish was that the 1940s-themed hangar party went ahead and that all proceeds go to St Michael’s Hospice, who looked after her during her final weeks.

On the night, a charity auction was held with some unique prizes, one of which was £1,000 for a pair of poppy cufflinks. The final total raised on the night was £24,000.

Flight Sergeant Liz Wood, the event coordinator said “Anna Irwin was truly amazing, her smile was infectious and everyone who had the honour to meet her will say the same. Her legacy will stay with us all at Odiham forever.”

“Anna’s amazingness has inspired us all to do amazing things”.