Thirty-two-year-old Emma passed away as she travelled back from a pilgrimage in Lourdes on Thursday.
This week Emma's mother Gina said, "I don't know what we are going to do without her. We are going to miss her so very much. She was the kingpin of this house. She was always full of beans."
A popular schoolteacher at St Thomas a Becket Junior School, Emma had fought breast cancer but was told in November she was terminally ill with two aggressive tumours and had between six months and two years to live.
Emma vowed to make the most of every day and her bubbly personality, courage, strong will and deep Catholic faith were inspirational.
She raised hundreds of pounds in the recent Race For Life in Eastbourne and appeared on television after writing a story to explain the disease and treatment to her pupils about a gardener whose sunflower is being choked by weeds which he cuts away, with the help of a doctor, to help it recover.
Despite a gruelling spell of chemotherapy, she also recorded a CD called Celtic Healing with friend and fellow teacher Maura Phipps which raised more than £500 to send a young person to Lourdes.
One of Emma's goals, along with a trip to New York and a parachute jump, was to attend Lourdes herself. Parents and teachers from the school raised the money to send Emma and her mother on the pilgrimage, but Emma's health deteriorated suddenly.
However, she rallied and made the journey with her brother Kevin, Gina and other family and friends.
Maura Phipps also went on the trip and said Emma took part in many masses, a procession, enjoyed a drink in the Little Flower pub and lit some candles in the Holy Grotto.
"Lourdes, I felt, was closure for Emma," said Mrs Phipps. "She had achieved all her goals.
"On Thursday we kissed Emma goodbye as she set off on her journey back to Eastbourne in the care of Kevin and her good friend Dominic. Emma decided to take a different route and passed away very peacefully. She will live in our hearts forever."
Father Seamus Hester was also with the group in Lourdes and paid tribute to Emma, who enjoyed music and Irish dancing and loved rugby.
He said, "Emma was very special and inspired so many people. Her Catholic faith meant so much to her and it kept her going."
Dominic O'Regan, who worked with Emma and also went to Lourdes, said, "She was always happy and optimistic, with a smile for everyone. Emma had an indefatigable spirit which kept her fighting throughout her illness."
Emma attended St Thomas a Becket Schools as a child and then St Richard's in Bexhill and St Paul's Sixth Form College, Haywards Heath, before moving to Dublin where she studied as a teacher.
Emma, who lived with her boyfriend Darren Latimer in Bridgemere Road, was a regular at both St Agnes and Our Lady of Ransom churches where she played the flute and was also a Catechist.
A book of condolence has been set up in Our Lady of Ransom Church in Grange Road for people to sign.
Emma's funeral will be held next Friday (August 15) at Our Lady of Ransom at 1.15pm.