Long time companion of Master Keith and hostess of the legendary Gate BDSM nights, Joy was first rushed into hospital on June 25, the day before her birthday.

To the shock of her many friends and admirers, she posted on Facebook four days later that she had been diagnosed with a brain tumour and lung cancer.
“But,” she assured her followers, “I will beat this. After all, I have butts to beat and balls to kick!!”

Back home on July 7, she was clearly feeling better, promising to fight like a trooper and issuing a typical Bettsian challenge to the disease: “Do your worst, cancer, and see if you can even begin to beat me.”

On July 16, just before seeing her neuro-oncologist, she admitted she was “a little apprehensive” but added that at least she hoped to know everything by the time she left.

Sadly she learnt something she did not want to hear: “There is a chance the brain tumour will not shrink, which if it does not, means no chemo for my lung.”

However, again in typical Joy style, she decided to pre-empt the hair-loss associated with therapy and do a sponsored head-shave at July 25’s meeting of The Gate, arguing that she might as well “get rid [of it] before it falls out”.

Her treatment began the following Monday, July 28, after which she posted: “The 1st *zapping* of radiotherapy is done! Only Tuesday to Friday to go !!!!xxxxx”.

The following day she said what an awesome time she’d had at The Gate “with so many of my wonderful extended family in one place at one time”.

She thanked everyone for their love and support, positivity, cuddles and giggles “but most of all… for helping me shave my hair off”. She declared the event “one of the most fun-filled nights of my life”.

So it was a tremendous shock to learn that on Thursday, after just three days of radiotherapy, she was found to have developed pneumonia from a chest infection.

Keith and the couple’s friend Claire, aka Atrum Dea, were at her bedside on Friday 1 when, according to Claire, “her brain started to shut down and she became unresponsive”.

“All we got was about two seconds when she woke, smiled and gave a wave,” Claire said. “She asked that no one know about her hospitalisation.”