THE mother of a 13-year-old girl who died from a sudden illness has taken steps to realise her daughter’s dream.

Schoolgirl Jemima Layzell was striving to fulfil her lifelong ambition of becoming an author before she died earlier this year.

Now her parents are working to make her dream a reality as they chronicle Jemima’s personal diary entries in a book.

Mum Sophy said: “It was Jemima's dream to be an author, and in her diary she talks about her aspirations and hopes for the future.

“We’d like to continue to highlight the importance of discussing organ donation, especially as child donors are so rare.”

Jemima, a former student at Taunton School, died in March from a brain aneurism.

Sophy and dad Harvey have had their first Christmas without her.

“Last year, Jemima made a beautiful wreath,” Sophy recalled.

“We hung the decorations the day she broke up from school, whereas usually we wait until the weekend before Christmas.

“It wasn’t the same without her. She was and is a remarkable young lady.”

Extracts from Jemima’s diary have already been published on a memorial Facebook page set up at the time of her death in March.

The book, which Sophy hopes will be ready for the first anniversary, will also carry family photos.

Sophy said: “At the moment we’re adding images from our family album to accompany her text.

“We have so many and it’s hard to look at them – seeing her face makes me so sad.

“Our aim is to self-publish through Amazon and offer two versions – a proper printed book, fully illustrated, and a non-illustrated Kindle version.

“I felt her Facebook page was a good place to start promoting.”

A touching entry, left not long before Jemima’s death, was posted online and read: ‘Dedicated to all those who have made the world a better place and those who never had a chance to. Thank you.’ Sophy said: “We feel this was apt in light of the Connecticut tragedy.”