Elizabeth Edwards dies at 61

Elizabeth Edwards, who closely advised her husband in two bids for the U.S. presidency and advocated for health care even as her marriage publicly crumbled, died Tuesday after a six-year struggle with cancer. She was 61.

She died at her North Carolina home surrounded by her three children, siblings, friends and her estranged husband, John, the family said.

"Today, we have lost the comfort of Elizabeth's presence, but she remains the heart of this family," the family said in a statement. "We love her and will never know anyone more inspiring or full of life.

"On behalf of Elizabeth, we want to express our gratitude to the thousands of kindred spirits who moved and inspired her along the way. Your support and prayers touched our entire family."

Edwards was first diagnosed with breast cancer in 2004, in the final days of her husband's vice-presidential campaign. John Edwardswas runningon theDemocratic ticket with John Kerry, wholost to incumbent George W. Bush.

John Edwards launched a second bid for the White House in 2007, and he and his wife decided to continue the campaign even after doctors told Elizabeth Edwards that her cancer had spread. He lost the Democratic nomination to Barack Obama.

The couple separated in January 2010 after he admitted fathering a child with a campaign videographer.

Elizabeth Edwards had focused in recent years on advocating health-care reform, often wondering aloud about the plight of those who faced the same of kind of physical struggles she did but without her personal wealth.

She also shared with the public the most intimate aspects of her bouts with cancer, writing and speaking about the pain of losing her hair, the difficulty of reassuring her children and the questions that lingered about how many days she had left to live.

Thanked supporters on Facebook

Elizabeth Edwards and her family had informed the public that she had weeks, if not days, left when they announced on Monday that doctors had told her that further treatment will do no good. Ever the public figure, Edwards thanked supporters on her Facebook page.

"The days of our lives, for all of us, are numbered," she wrote. "We know that. And yes, there are certainly times when we aren't able to muster as much strength and patience as we would like. It's called being human. But I have found that in the simple act of living with hope, and in the daily effort to have a positive impact in the world, the days I do have are made all the more meaningful and precious. And for that, I am grateful."

Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton, one of John Edwards's rivals for the Democratic nomination in 2008, said the country "has lost a passionate advocate for building a more humane and just society."

Friends and relativesof theEdwardses "have lost so much more a loving mother, constant guardian and wise counsellor," Clinton said.

"Our thoughts are with the Edwards family at this time and with all those people across the country who met Elizabeth over the years and found an instant friend someone who shared their experiences and offered empathy, understanding and hope," Clinton said in a statement.

Vice-President Joe Biden said Edwards "fought a brave battle against a terrible, ravaging disease that takes too many lives every day. She was an inspiration to all who knew her and to those who felt they knew her."