The family of an Arbroath mum who battled breast cancer for two years are determined to ensure her memory lives on after she died in June.
Kirsteen Shaw, 45, was first diagnosed with terminal hormonal breast cancer in April 2020.
Despite their heartbreak, Kirsteen’s family have turned their efforts to fundraising in her memory after she passed away.
Over £2,000 has been raised so far, with the cash used to purchase smart TVs for patients at the Roxburghe House palliative care unit — where Kirsteen was cared for by dedicated staff.
Arbroath mum was ‘life of the party’
Kirsteen’s daughter Demi Officer told The Courier: “My mum was at Roxburghe House for about nine weeks before she passed away.
“She really loved it, she loved the staff and our family were treated with a lot of respect. They couldn’t do enough to help.”
Demi, 24, explained that her mum’s cancer diagnosis was already terminal when it was discovered in April 2020.
Kirsteen, who was described by her family as the “life of the party”, worked as a carer before her diagnosis.
After her mum died, Demi, alongside her brother Jay, 18, and granddad William, decided to raise some money to supply smart TVs to Roxburghe House.
Demi said: “It was my mum’s dad William’s idea. Towards the end she started to lose her eyesight, and the televisions were quite basic.
“Mum said it would be great to get some up-to-date TVs, so we said we’d do the fundraiser for her.
“We’ve now raised over £2,000.
“There are no words to express the pain in everyone’s heart now she’s gone but we will continue to make sure her memory lives on.”
Kirsteen’s family have now donated 13 smart TVs to the unit, which were gratefully received.
Marnie Ferguson, Macmillan senior charge nurse at Roxburghe House, said: “I would like to thank Kirsteen’s family for thinking of others at this difficult time for them.
“This very generous donation will benefit many other patients at Roxburghe House.”
And in a fitting tribute for dance-music fan Kirsteen, her family hope to raise cash for the Maggie’s Centre in Dundee with a memorial dance night in Arbroath later this year.
Demi added: “She loved her dance music. She grew up in the 1990s and was always at raves, she loved dance music. So we’re going to do this in her memory.
“She was only 45, and was really well known in the town, so it’s nice to do these things and give a thank you back to those who looked after her at the end.”
Conversation