In 2017, she was diagnosed with lymphoblastic lymphona, but she had been informed that the tumor had shrunk and she was on the mend. However, in October 2018, Hellyar experienced chest pains while celebrating her 40th birthday with friends in Scotland. She was informed by doctors that her cancer was terminal and that she had about five weeks to live. She was under palliative hospice care in Newcastle because she was very sick to travel home back. She launched a campaign to cover her own funeral expenses. Hellyar's brother passed away when he was only 16 and she didn't want to burden her parents with paying for two children's funerals and raised more than £7,000. She died on November 8, 2018 in her sleep.