Tragedy has struck a Cowdenbeath family only weeks after they scooped a £500,000 fortune.
Wendy Colville, who celebrated with the rest of the close-knit Fife family when mum and dad Elizabeth and Joe Pringle won the bumper payout on the Postcode Lottery’s £1 million Christmas prize draw, has lost her courageous battle against cancer.
Wendy (40), who leaves behind husband Gary and daughter Danielle, knew the breast cancer she had been determinedly fighting for a year had spread to other organs at the time of the surprise windfall. But only her nearest and dearest knew of the true extent of her illness.
”We knew at the time how poorly she was, but Wendy didn’t want anyone else to know how far advanced it had gotten,” said Elizabeth. ”We hoped some of the treatment knowing it wasn’t going to be a cure might put it into remission but unfortunately Wendy had such an aggressive cancer it was a losing battle.”
Describing her younger daughter as inspirational, Elizabeth said: ”I would give all the money away tomorrow if Wendy could have beaten cancer.”
The family’s bumper win came at the end of a harrowing year. Not only had Wendy been battling cancer but sister Lesley Murray had been seriously injured in a road accident in Lochgelly. And her husband Bruce had undergone a triple heart bypass operation as well.
But sadly their hopes for a better year ahead were dashed all too swiftly and the family are now preparing for Wendy’s funeral this Saturday.
Elizabeth told The Courier: “Wendy and Lesley weren’t just sisters, they were pals and went everywhere together, they partied together and went shopping and on holiday that is how close they were.
”Wendy was a popular lassie, she had many, many pals and in fact I never realised how many.”
Wendy was a former pupil of Hill of Beath primary and Beath High. After school she started a YTS course with Dunfermline Builders and, working hard, kept on a Saturday job with Lesley in Cowdenbeath’s Pacers cafe.
She moved into insurance before taking up a job with Fife Council with their bereavement services department at Kirkcaldy crematorium.
”Working hard was something she had until the day she died,” said Elizabeth. ”I do not think anyone who knew her will ever forget her, her big blue eyes and her smiley face.
”And she put up a fight to the end she is an inspiration to anybody who has breast cancer.”