Family speaks after daughter's death

By Lorna Paterson

Published: 29 October, 2008

THE heartbroken family of a 24-year-old Inverness woman who lost a brave life-long battle to cystic fibrosis have spoken of how they lived in hope of doctors finding a cure.

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Nicola Jane Donnelly was diagnosed with the hereditary disease when she was just seven months old.

She went on to live a good life filled with fun but about two years ago the illness began to take a more serious grip on her health.

Two months ago Nicola, better known as Nikki, took a turn for the worse and her parents, William and Dorothy, and older brother, also named William, feared they might lose her.

But she returned home from hospital and despite being connected to oxygen and a respirator Nikki began to make a good recovery.

"She put on nearly half a stone and was doing really well," said her father Mr Donnelly of Nevis Park.

"But then all of a sudden her lung collapsed.

"It came as such a shock to us because it happened so quick and unexpectedly.

"That day she looked as if she was having quite a good day."

Mrs Donnelly recalled sitting in her bedroom doing a jigsaw puzzle together.

After she said: "She went to have a bath and just collapsed."

When Nikki, a former Charleston Academy pupil, died on 21st October she left a huge hole in her family’s life.

Paying tribute to the young woman they said yesterday she would always be in their hearts.

"The last year was quite difficult for her but it is the other years we will try and remember. She was a very happy, confident, outgoing girl," said Mr Donnelly, who is still trying to come to terms with the loss of his daughter.

After leaving school Nikki worked as a waitress at the city’s Mustard Seed restaurant and later at Pizza Express.

At the same time she was studying for an HND in beauty therapy at Inverness College but just three months before finishing the course she became ill and had to give it up.

Nikki Donnelly - always looked to the future.

"She was really disappointed," explained her mum.

"She really enjoyed it and was quite ambitious. She talked about opening her own salon. She was clever and it would have been something she would have been good at."

Mrs Donnelly described Nikki as a kind and caring young woman who worried more about her family than herself, in spite of facing daily difficulties. Her pride and joy was a little Mazda sports car, which she used to drive with the roof down and her hair blowing in the wind.

"We could never regret having our beautiful daughter even though we have lost her," said Mrs Donnelly.

"She was loved very much and she told us every day that she loved us. She liked nothing better than to have a cuddle off her mum and dad and we will miss her forever."

Nikki and her brother were also very close and they shared many long chats with each other. The family dog, Harley, was also loved very much by Nikki.

Cystic Fibrosis is a life threatening, genetically inherited illness.

It affects the lungs and the digestive system. One in 19 people carry the defective gene and if two carriers meet and have children there is a one in four chance that the baby will have the illness.

Experts are currently working on gene replacement therapy but Nikki’s family are keen to raise awareness of the disease.

"We always thought something would turn up for Nikki but that wasn’t to be," said Mrs Donnelly, who lived every day in fear of losing her daughter.

"There is more awareness now then there was but still not enough," she added.

"What we want is for people to look at Nikki’s picture and see that it has taken a beautiful girl away at such a young age."

Nikki’s family paid special thanks to nurses Pauline and Leslie.

l.paterson@inverness-courier.co.uk