Tauranga mother and writer Dawn Picken has died.

The 52-year-old author, marathon runner, Bay of Plenty Times Weekend writer and columnist, Toi Ohomai tutor, and former television journalist, lost her battle with a rare liver disease at 8.12pm yesterday.

Dawn had an incurable “one-in-a-million” liver condition, Caroli disease.

In October, Dawn’s health began to deteriorate and she was first admitted to Tauranga Hospital after showing signs of internal bleeding. She was later discharged but was readmitted on November 8 after her condition worsened.

Initially, a scan appeared to show a liver lobe had infarcted/died and a large portal vein clot, which meant she was not suitable for a liver transplant. Doctors suggested Dawn was approaching the end of her life.

Dawn’s deteriorating health was a shock to many who knew her. She had launched her book Love, Loss and Lifelines: My Year of Grief on the Run on November 3.

Dawn Picken, pictured in October before the launch of her book. Photo / Andrew Warner

Dawn, with help from friends, documented her deteriorating health online via the website CaringBridge and shared her story with the Bay of Plenty Times Weekend. The former television journalist had publicly shared her grief journey of losing her late husband Sean Stanelun after 10 years of marriage, via blogs and columns and most recently in her book. He died unexpectedly in 2010. Their children, Fiona and Finley, were 5 and 3.

As Dawn’s health deteriorated, friends set up a Givealittle fund to help provide support to Dawn and particularly her children.

After Dawn’s initial story was published on December 3, a liver specialist reviewed Dawn’s scans and got in touch three days later, wanting to carry out an assessment to see if a transplant were possible.

Dawn Picken with daughter Fiona, affectionately dubbed "barnacle" for always being at her mother's side. Photo / Supplied

However, on December 20, specialists found cancerous tumours and the spots in her lungs, the blood clotting, and what looked like areas within her spleen and liver that had died were all related to invasive cancer, cholangiocarcinoma.

It meant Dawn’s liver could not handle any cancer treatment.

She returned to Waipuna Hospice on Thursday where “comfort measures” were made and she was supported by friends and family.

In her last interview on Friday, Dawn, speaking from bed, asked for help via the Givealittle fund because her wish was to “make the most of helping my kids before I go”.

“Before it seemed like more of a show of support ... now, it’s more and more real, that this is it,” she said.

“I need to know that my kids are going to be able to do what they need to do to have a roof over their heads and really, for me, completion of their studies is very important,” she said.

More than $27,000 has already been raised via the Givealittle site.

She also thanked those people who had shown support and concern and for “never giving up on us, no matter how events turn out”.

“We love you all.”

Dawn spent her last days positioned near an outdoor area where she was able to feel the breeze and listen to birdsong.