The family of a “kind and loyal” Perth mum whose life may have been shortened by a medication error have paid tribute following her death aged 52.
Mum-of-two Nicola Lunn died last month after battling various health conditions including osteoporosis.
She received an apology from health chiefs last year after a medication blunder left her unable to have a lung transplant that may have prolonged her life.
Her family have described her as “the life and soul of the party”.
‘She was an amazing mum’
Sister-in-law Rachel told The Courier: “She was funny, kind, and loyal to her friends and family.
“She was the life and soul of the party no matter where she went.
“She was fiercely loyal and protective of her boys and would try and get anything for them.
“I loved her to bits. She was a fantastic auntie to my kids, she was amazing.”
Nicola had two sons – Peter and Harry.
Peter said: “She was an amazing mum.”
Nicola was born in Edinburgh in 1971 and moved to Methven in Perthshire at the age of eight, where she lived most of her life, before recently moving to Perth.
She attended Methven Primary School and Perth Grammar.
Nicola’s first job was at Condies Solicitors before she went on to work at SSE as a travel supervisor.
Her final job was as a medical secretary at Perth Royal Infirmary where she was employed for 23 years.
She was forced to medically retire last December.
Since 2010, she had suffered from rheumatoid arthritis and incurable interstitial lung disease.
This did not stop her from doing the things she loved, including playing darts.
In 2016, despite her health problems, she ran a half marathon in Glasgow to raise money for Bloodwise, after her brother Roy was diagnosed with blood cancer.
However, the steroids she needed to manage the conditions left her with osteoporosis.
NHS Tayside apologised to Nicola in 2023 after two consultants made a mistake in her medication.
The health board admitted she should have been prescribed bone protection drugs to counter the effects of the steroids.
Specialist surgeons said she could no longer receive a crucial lung transplant that could have prolonged her life.
‘If she had got the lung transplant, she’d still be with us’
Family and friends raised funds for her to receive life-prolonging stem cell treatment which was not available on the NHS.
Rachel said: “She never let any of these conditions get the better of her, she always kept going and had a lot of fight.
“If she had been on the drugs, she might have been a bit better than what she was.
“We do feel if she had got the lung transplant, she’d still be with us.”
After fundraising efforts from her family and friends, Nicola was able to fund stem cell treatment in Serbia.
Rachel added: “After the treatment, she did seem to be getting better, we had her out for meals and nights out.
“But latterly an infection took hold and they couldn’t keep on top of it, and unfortunately it took over in the end.
“She was just an amazing person.”
Nicola’s funeral will take place on Wednesday July 10 at Perth Crematorium.
Attendees will be able to donate to the British Lung Foundation.
Conversation