British singer and actor Sarah Harding died following complications with breast cancer, her mother announced Sunday.
Harding, 39, died just over a year after revealing her diagnosis to the public, telling fans on Instagram that she was undergoing weekly chemotherapy sessions. She said in August last year that she had been diagnosed and later discovered the cancer had advanced to other parts of her body.
Her mother posted an update to the star’s Instagram announcing her death Sunday.
“Many of you will know of Sarah’s battle with cancer and that she fought so strongly from her diagnosis until her last day,” her mother said. “She slipped away peacefully this morning.”
Harding is best known for her role in Girls Aloud, a UK pop group that rose to fame in the early 2000s. In a similar trajectory as UK bands One Direction and Little Mix, the girl group was brought together during a reality talent series on ITV called “Popstars: The Rivals.”
Girls Aloud released five studio albums before taking a “hiatus” in 2009, reuniting briefly for a tour in 2012. The members officially announced their breakup in 2013.
Harding also dabbled in acting prior to her death, starring in films “Bad Day” and “Run For Your Wife.”
Fellow Girls Aloud alum Nadine Coyle posted to social media following the news of Harding’s death to offer love to fans, saying she was “absolutely devastated.”
“I can’t think of words that could possibly express how I feel about this girl & what she means to me!! I know so many of you will be feeling this way,” Coyle said.