A 30-YEAR-OLD Dundee woman who suffered from cystic fibrosis was described as an ‘inspiration’ after she lost her fight for life this week.

Nicola Marshall, who was diagnosed with the genetic disorder at nine months old, passed away peacefully in Ninewells Hospital on Tuesday surrounded by her immediate family.

Throughout her life Nicola faced constant hospital visits to treat her illness and was given a lung transplant in 2001 to address the difficulties associated with the disorder that causes serious problems in the lungs and digestive system.

Following a year of particular ill health, Nicola was admitted to Ninewells Hospital last Thursday where her condition deteriorated after contracting a chest infection.

Her mum Kathleen Tosh said she was very proud of her daughter’s courage and said that despite her pain she never complained about her illness.

She said, “Nicola was really very ill when she went into hospital last Thursday. She had been feeling unwell over the last year and was suffering from a chest infection when she was admitted to hospital.

“In the last year she was having to use oxygen therapy all the time and because her muscles were so weak she couldn’t walk very far or even get out of her flat into the car and had to go everywhere in a wheelchair.

“Her general health just really deteriorated.

“She was very outgoing and she loved fun. She didn’t complain about her illness because she didn’t want to talk or think about it, she just wanted to do things like everyone else.”

She continued, “When she was young she wasn’t too bad but as she got into her teenage years and her 20s Nicola got more infections.

“But when she got her transplant on September 7, 2001 at the Freeman Hospital in Newcastle, she had around three years of quite good health.

“Before the operation she needed a lot of care, even just to go to the bathroom. However, after the operation, we came back to Dundee and all she really wanted was to be left to live in her own flat, she was very independent and just wanted to be like everyone else.

“Nicola felt very strongly about being a donor on the transplant list. She herself knew what it was like to get a transplant and she knew how important it was to help another person or family.

“We as a family want to thank the family of the person who helped our daughter, we cannot thank them enough and we now understand what it is you went through.”

Kathleen, and Nicola’s father Brian, hope people will remember their daughter as a fun and sociable person who loved life.

Nicola, who worked in administration in Dundee, was engaged to Michael Kilburn.

Kathleen continued, “She had a great laugh, a great sense of humour and was a very generous person.

“Nicola was so much fun and people could walk into her room and know her just by her laugh. That is how I would like people to remember her.

“Throughout the years there have been a lot of people that have helped Nicola and we are so grateful to them,” she added.

“Everyone in my family would like to thank the staff at Ninewells Hospital, especially the CF specialist team including Dr Winter, Dr Jones, Mags, Laurie and Ali.

“We want to thank everyone at Ward three on the respiratory ward at Ninewells and the transplant team in The Freeman Hospital in Newcastle.

“We also want to thank all the staff at the Adult Cystic Fibrosis ward in Edinburgh and the staff in the ICU ward at Ninewells.

“My daughter was an inspiration to a lot of people, she was a lovely person and we are very proud of her.”