THE memory of an inspirational young woman, who fought against health problems from birth, is to live on in her autobiography.

Student Victoria Lynn died in November just two months short of her 21st birthday and it was her wish to have her story published to raise money for charity.

Her proud parents, Bryan and Susan, have vowed to fulfil her wish and proceeds from the sale of Victoria's book will go to the Pulmonary Hypertension Association, a charity set up to support sufferers of the condition Victoria had.

Victoria, known as Torti to her family and friends, was diagnosed with pulmonary hypertension at the age of 14 and the ultimate treatment for her condition was a heart, lung and liver transplant.

The news was a blow to her family, but Victoria had been plagued with health problems from a very early age.

She was born without a spleen and all her major organs, except her heart, were on the wrong side of her body. She had her first operation at just 12 days old, to correct a floating bowel, and before she was eight weeks old, Victoria underwent a rare operation to build a bile duct between her liver and bowel.

Victoria was only the tenth youngster in the world with a mal-rotated gut to have the Kasai operation, and only three children before her had survived the procedure.

After that, the brave youngster had to attend hospital at least once a year for a scan as she had a heart murmur, as well as other regular check-ups for her liver surgery.

When she was diagnosed with pulmonary hypertension in 1997, the Lynn family, who live in Prestwich, was told the stark truth that if Victoria did anything strenuous it could prove fatal at any time.

Life carried on for the King David High School student, until her condition meant she had to be fitted with a device that pumped drugs into her body through a miniature syringe.

Even when Victoria left home to start a health studies degree course in Leeds, not many of her friends knew of her illness.

She was the life and soul of the party, had hundreds of friends and was always out clubbing until the early hours.

Amid her hectic social life, the young woman managed to fit in volunteer work at Heathlands Village, in Prestwich, and with her two older sisters, Abbie and Kerry, was an avid member of the Jewish Theatre Group.

Victoria also compiled her autobiography, which she thought could help other people in the same situation and her parents had planned to have it published in time for her 21st birthday.

It came as a complete shock to the people who loved her when she suddenly fell ill and died.

Doctors discovered a haematoma, which is a collection of blood, the size of an orange in her stomach, and Victoria did not survive the treatment.

Dad Bryan (49) said: "It was a bolt out of the blue. We are so proud of her accomplishments, of her attitude to life and more importantly, how she helped others."

He added: "We were told that around 500 people attended her funeral and we have learned that Victoria helped so many people, often without them knowing the problems she suffered. She kept in touch with everyone she met; her mobile phone bills were astronomical!"

Her mum, Susan (56) added: "Victoria couldn't tolerate sympathy, she just wanted to be normal. She was brave and bubbly and lit up a room when she entered it. She was like a whirlwind, always on the go. We didn't treat her like an invalid and she didn't act like one. It was said at her funeral that she achieved more in her 20 years than most people do in a lifetime."

Victoria's life story, to which Susan has put the finishing touches and hopes will be called A Breath of Fresh Air, should be available to purchase in a few months time.

A website has already been set up in her memory at www.victorialynn.co.uk