THE family of a courageous young mother-of-three have established a trust in her memory after she lost her battle with cancer.

Emma Isherwood came round at Musgrove Park Hospital in Taunton to hug her daughters one final time before slipping away.

Emma, 38, of St George’s Square, Taunton, tried to continue as normal after a mole on her leg was diagnosed as melanoma skin cancer – she received the news recovering from an operation in Musgrove in March 2010.

She underwent months of treatment, visiting hospitals in Taunton, Exeter, Yeovil and London, before starting chemotherapy last October.

But after complaining of headaches, she was rushed into Musgrove in March, when a scan revealed the cancer had reached her brain.

Her father, Chris Dryden, said: “Emma regained consciousness for a few minutes when her three babies came in, with Megan, Beatrix and Madeline – 14, nine and six – cuddling Em.

“A tear came from Em’s eye and at 5.30pm on March 9 darling Emma passed away.

“Emma never moaned about her cancer.

“Her strength of character was incredible. Her only concerns were for her three rays of sunshine.”

Will Dryden, the youngest of her three brothers, said Emma’s wish was to increase awareness of the dangers of sunbathing.

About £2,200 was raised at her funeral for skin cancer charity SCaRF and events have been organised to boost the appeal.

A team from Somerset College, where she studied hairdressing, are entering Taunton Rotary Club’s 50/50 bike ride next month; family and friends are running Taunton 10k in September; and a charity ball will be held at the County Ground next March – visit www.emmaisherwood.org Will said: “Emma was a strong person who approached her illness as she approached everything – she said, ‘This is how it is, you’ve got to get on with it’.”

Emma and her daughters were due to visit Disneyland Paris the day she died on a trip funded by her brothers.

Her daughters, who attend Bishop Fox’s and Thurlbear Primary School, are moving to Yorkshire to live with their father.