Sara Payne, 40, fell ill on Thursday, sources close to her family said. Family members had originally intended to keep her plight private until after the Christmas period. Jack Straw, the justice secretary, wished the Paynes well. “Our thoughts are with Sara and her family,” he said.
Family friend Michele Elliott, founder and director of campaign group Kidscape, said: “Sara is the most wonderful and indomitable person and if anyone can get through this, it’s her. Everyone needs to pray and send their good thoughts at this difficult time. I have been in tears.”
Payne had a life-saving operation to cure a ruptured aneurysm last year, friends said. A family source said she had responded well to treatment and her condition had not worsened since Thursday. “The early signs of her treatment were positive,” the source said.
Published 25 December 2009, 17:14 IST