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Family pay tribute to devoted Inverness mum who stayed alive for them as long as possible


By Neil MacPhail

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Louisse MacKay
Louisse MacKay

TRIBUTE has been paid to a brave mother-of-four who defied all the odds in the face of a terminal cancer diagnosis and clung on to life for two more unexpected years.

Close relatives believe it was the love of her family that helped Louise MacKay refuse to give in after she was told the devastating news shortly before Christmas 2016 that she had stage four cervical cancer and there was little hope.

But Louise, formerly a waitress at the Corriegarth Hotel in Inverness who later worked in the hospitality suite at the Inverness Caledonian Thistle Stadium, was a fighter, battling for more than two years despite the cancer spreading and causing life-threatening complications during this time.

Sadly Louise, of Slackbuie, Inverness, died in Highland Hospice on February 27, the day before her 40th birthday though even then her humour and defiance was evident as she told relatives: “I don’t want to be 40.”

Her husband Donnie (60), who works at Cairngorm Windows, said: “She was strong, so strong, and she had this great determination that she would fight it for as long as she could.

“Because of her age and her having a young family the medical people were determined to do all they could to keep her here for as long as they could.

“When the doctors would discuss her treatment and tell her ‘This is what we propose,’ right away she would say, ‘Where do I sign?’

“It was such a shock at the beginning, especially since our youngest, Zoe, was only two at the time.”

Donnie said that on top of two intensive courses of chemotherapy and radiotherapy at Raigmore Hospital, and brachytherapy at Aberdeen Royal Infirmary in which tumours are treated from the inside out, his wife was hit by pneumonia and sepsis several times.

“Her attitude was always ‘Don’t write me off yet,’” he added.

At first there was an excellent response, and the tumour, which was the size of a grapefruit, was reduced to three centimetres, though there was a further crisis as Louise’s condition worsened last December when Donnie took a heart attack.

He said: “I had the tightness in my chest and pains down my arms and got myself to Raigmore. That was the Saturday and on the Tuesday I had five stents inserted in my arteries. I was home on the Wednesday and Louise went into the hospice for the last time on the Thursday.”

Louise’s mother Marion Breau, who launched an online petition to try and address the “parking chaos” at Raigmore Hospital experienced during frequent visits there with her daughter, said: “Louise never let the cancer stop her for two years. She set herself targets to be there for a Christmas and for family birthdays. She lived for the family and was always organising celebrations for all of us. And she still managed to keep us all right, despite being so ill.

“But the cancer was relentless and went to her lymph nodes and eventually even Louise could not fight it any more.

“My former colleagues in Boots and the pharmacy where I now work have told me she was just inspirational, and it is true.”

Donnie paid tribute to Highland Hospice for the “second to none” care provided for Louise and added: “I hope that Louise’s story will highlight how important cervical screening is for women, as the earlier any cancer is caught the better the chances of surviving are.”

Further tribute will be paid to Louise today (Saturday) when a funeral service will be held at John Fraser & Son, Chapel Street, Inverness at 10am, followed by interment at Kilvean Cemetery for 11am.


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