A Buckinghamshire bar owner and mum has bid an emotional farewell to her popular venue amid her terminal cancer diagnosis.
Samantha Fraser called time at The Library Bar following its Halloween party on October 31 just under a year and a half after it first opened in May 2023.
The mother of two turned the former Temple Street Wine Bar into a cherished space for the community with craft beers, hand-made cocktails and tapas all on offer.
But after a prolonged and challenging battle with terminal cancer, Sam made the heartbreaking decision to close the bar for good.
The 38-year-old was first diagnosed with spindle cell sarcoma, a rare cancer affecting the bones and soft tissue, just three weeks after the bar's opening.
READ MORE: The Library Bar, Aylesbury set to close after Halloween party
Through treatment, the tumour was located near her collarbone and was successfully removed, leaving her left arm 90 per cent paralysed.
But despite radiotherapy and a number of treatments, the cancer returned aggressively and spread to her lungs, rendering her illness terminal.
Recent attempts to treat the cancer have been unsuccessful, prompting Sam to focus on spending her time with her husband, Jamie and their two children, George (9) and Lorelai (7).
Since April, she has been unable to work leading to operational costs becoming unsustainable and despite attempts to sell the business, no buyer has been secured.
But now in recognition of her resilience and dedication, her friends and family have launched a GoFundMe page to help support the family's medical and travel expenses for treatment in Liverpool.
At the time of writing, almost £7,000 has been raised with members of the community paying tribute to the "equality, diversity, and inclusivity" Sam has brought to the area.
Former Mayor of Aylesbury, Cllr Steven Lambert recalled going to The Library Bar as one of his first engagements as mayor and said it "truly was a real community space."
He added: "Sam’s dream of creating a welcoming place where you could absolutely be authentically yourself was really important to her, and events I’ve seen over the last year, like Random Acts of Kindness Day have been integral in maintaining community spirit.
“Her vision was similar to that of a mayor in that it was about bringing community together and shining a light that people are attracted to and feel safe and welcomed towards.
“The fact that the bar is now going to close is really very sad.
"But Sam’s legacy here will go on for many years from the friendships that were built, the encouragement and the growth that many young people have been gifted with - all because of Sam.
"She leaves a huge mark on the town and whilst it’s sad that the bar is going to close, community won’t close – and that’s thanks to her.”
Sam opened the bar after securing a business loan to help realise her childhood dream and hosted weekly events, including open mic nights, quizzes, and live music performances, along with a popular monthly drag show presented by the House of Suxwell, an Aylesbury-based drag family.
Sam also partnered closely with the local Pride organization to launch Aylesbury’s very first Pride event earlier this year, even hosting the official after-party at The Library Bar.
The GoFundMe page for Sam can be found by clicking here.
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