Aideen Kennedy: Tributes to ex-UTV presenter after she loses battle with terminal illness and asks supporters to ‘keep an eye out for’ children

On Friday night the journalist, 43, told her 16,700 followers on Twitter that she was getting palliative care.

She tweeted: “So life has not gone well and I am as sick as I was as when I went in to hospital so essentially going home to die but getting palliative care. The kids know. If you ever come across them, will you an eye out for them, they are the kindest, sweetest most thoughtful kiddies.”

Her tweet generated almost 1,400 comments from friends and supporters, many of them assuring her of their prayers.

On Tuesday she had tweeted a photo of herself in hospital linked up to various machines, asking for prayer.

“Day 19 in hospital,” she said. “say a wee prayer for me. Bleeding in stomach”.

She said: “God bless those people who give blood, I am my on my 12th transfusion and I can’t believe someone would be so kind and selfless”.

In a statement, a spokeswoman for UTV paid tribute to their former journalist, describing her has “truly gifted”.

“The UTV family is deeply saddened to hear of the passing of former colleague and friend Aideen Kennedy,” she said.

“A truly gifted reporter, she spent many years at UTV bringing viewers stories from all over Northern Ireland.

“We wish to extend our heartfelt sympathies to her family at this very sad time.”

Former UTV Political Editor Ken Reid tweeted his condolences.

“Tonight the thought Aideen is no longer with us is just heart breaking,” he said. “A decent soul who suffered too much. The news has stunned many of us. We all need to take care. God bless her. RIP.”

Former UTV colleague Rita Fitzgerald was devastated when she read her friend’s final message.

“Darling Aideen, I’m so desperately sorry to hear this. My heart is breaking for you,” she tweeted.

Aideen’s close friend, former DUP MP Emma Little Pengelly, also tweeted her condolences.

“No more pain, or illness for you now,” she said. “No more sorrow or trauma. The most beautiful, kind soul that life gave me the privilege of knowing. Our walks and talks, craic and fun. I hope we will meet again. Goodbye my friend.”

In an interview with the Belfast Telegraph in 2018 Aideen told how her family had been beset by tragedy, having lost all her siblings in various ways.

“My brother Dara (35) died from a brain tumour, months later my sister Fiona (44) died from cancer and I’d a brother Rory who died in a road accident,” she said. “So I have no brothers or sisters left. I think about them every day. I loved them to bits”.