TV personality Nirvana Ciavola Azzopardi died yesterday after a two-year battle with breast cancer. The 40-year-old mother of two passed away at home surrounded by her family. Relatives and friends described her as an “extraordinary” and “special” woman who exuded positivity until the very end.

Nirvana Azzopardi’s husband, their two young sons and her parents stood in a circle around her bed, holding her hands, when she took her last breath yesterday – ending a two-year battle against breast cancer. “We held her hands. We formed a circle. We said a prayer. It felt like she was waiting for that moment... she took her last breath and went peacefully. It was such a special moment,” her husband, Marius Ciavola, said.

He believes his wife, 40, was at peace when she left this world because she had said “her goodbyes” but, more importantly, because she knew her sons – Sam, 10, and Noah, five – were ready for her to go to heaven.

“I know she was holding on for the children most of all… about two weeks ago the youngest went running up to her bedroom and said: ‘Mummy, when are you going to heaven?’

“She later gave me a big hug and told me: ‘Thank you. Because now I feel I can go’,” he said.

A presenter of several different TV series over the years, Nirvana added Ciavola to her surname when she got married.

She was diagnosed with an aggressive and rare type of cancer two years ago – just a month before her family was meant to relocate to Dubai where her husband worked.

After facing the initial devastation, Mr Ciavola recalled, his wife pulled herself together and was determined to try any form of treatment.

“She didn’t leave a stone unturned and made a promise to tell her children that,” he said.

Ms Azzopardi even channelled her energy to raise awareness about breast cancer and, in January, hundreds of people took part in a walk of solidarity held in St Julian’s.

Her husband added “she has done the most amazing thing for her children” to ensure they continue feeling her presence: throughout these two years she kept a journal for each son and wrote cards and prepared presents for them to be distributed to them in future.

“She is really an extraordinary woman in all senses… an honest, genuine person with so much positive energy. She was so humble and special, really,” he said.

He recalled how she surprised him when she once told him she was grateful she got cancer. She later explained it gave her a chance to appreciate life.

Francesca Scerri Rizzo, one of her closest friends, said: “She’d say she was grateful to have had cancer and not to be hit by a bus since it gave her time to appreciate life and say her goodbyes.”

Ms Scerri Rizzo and Vanessa Pace – the godmothers of the two boys – formed part of a team of close friends and relatives who helped and supported Nirvana.

For example, they juiced fruit and vegetables when she was following a special diet as one of her potential cures.

“We’d joke that she was the lady of the house and we were serving her,” her friend smiled, adding Nirvana insisted she wanted to learn something from the experience.

Her strength should be an example to all passing through this experience

“She exuded positivity… and she passed it on to others and, mostly, to her children,” she said.

Nirvana’s father, Joe Azzopardi, agrees that positivity was one of her main traits till the end.

“She fought her battle fiercely for two whole years. She remained positive till the end when finally she had to succumb to the dreaded monster.

“But her strength should be an example to all passing through this experience. I will miss her, but she will live through her two sons, Sam and Noah, whom I adore.”

He described his daughter as “an extraordinary person” who lived her life to the full while maintaining the values given to her by him and his wife Anna.

“She enjoyed life. She was popular, or as the media referred to her ‘a personality’.

“Yet she was friendly and humble and always kept her feet on the ground,” he said.

Musician Renzo Spiteri had worked with her closely on Teatru Unplugged, which she co-founded in 1998.

“No matter how beautiful and good looking other artists were, she was always the most stunning person around.

“She always radiated this positive energy and encouraged those people who were going to step on stage for the first time,” he said.

Singer Ira Losco was one of those people. She met Ms Azzopardi when she was about 17 through Teatru Unplugged.

“I’ll always remember how cheerful she always was. I was always in awe of her.

“She was beautiful, knew how to get on with people, very clever… she was quite an inspiration… she was very special,” Ms Losco said.

“Special” was a term also used by other friends in the TV business – Peter Carbonaro and Gianni Zammit – who also described her as a woman with “a great spirit”.

The funeral will be held at St Julian’s parish church tomorrow at 2pm.

“She was positive till the end. She did not want dark colours at her funeral,” her husband said.