GRIEVING parents believe their beloved daughter would still be alive today if the rare cancer that claimed her life had been diagnosed earlier.Michele and Mick Grant, of Newmarket Road, Bury St Edmunds, are angry at how their "fun-loving" daughter was treated at the town's West Suffolk Hospital in the early months of the illness that was to kill her just before Christmas.

GRIEVING parents believe their beloved daughter would still be alive today if the rare cancer that claimed her life had been diagnosed earlier.

Michele and Mick Grant are angry at how their "fun-loving" daughter was treated at the town's West Suffolk Hospital in the early months of the illness that was to kill her just before Christmas.

Emma, 21, who lived with her parents at the family home, died of Burkitt's lymphoma. The former Bury County Upper School pupil first fell ill in 2000, but her condition was not diagnosed until June 2001.

Mrs Grant, of Newmarket Road, Bury St Edmunds, said: "She had lumps on her body and was in so much pain she would spend days crying, but the doctors kept saying they couldn't find anything wrong."

When Emma was diagnosed with cancer, she endured months of chemotherapy and radiotherapy before undergoing a bone marrow transplant in July last year.

She returned to her Bury St Edmunds home in September and was in remission for three months, but was struck down by a virus last month and died on December 22.

Mrs Grant singled out the staff at Addenbrooke's Hospital in Cambridge, where Emma was also treated, for special praise, saying: "They were wonderful – they all loved Emma."

But the family remain angry at her earlier treatment at West Suffolk Hospital and Mr Grant said: "We can't help thinking that had she been diagnosed earlier, she'd still be here today."

Mr and Mrs Grant, and their two surviving children, Lisa and Jon, have been devastated by Emma's death and are now trying to rebuild their lives.

Mrs Grant paid a moving tribute to the daughter whose life was cut so short by such a terrible illness. "She was the one who was ill, yet she was always smiling. She was so strong and was never ready to give up," she said. "She was a real fighter."

The proud mother said the past two years had put incredible strain on the whole family, but added: "Emma never complained, not once.

"She was always thinking of other people, but that was just the type of person she was – she was so bubbly and full of life. Everyone loved her."

A spokesman for West Suffolk Hospital said he could not comment on individual patients unless a formal complaint had been made.