THE FAMILY and friends of a Perthshire teenager who lost her brave battle with a brain tumour last year have raised almost £4000 for one of her favourite charities.

Kimberley Stewart was 18 when she passed away but had refused to let her illness get in the way of leading a full life.

Less than a month before she died the St Madoes teenager raised £7000 during a gruelling sponsored swim.

Kimberley’s legacy has been continued by family and friends who undertook a sponsored walk along part of the West Highland Way in her memory.

The money will go to the Willow Foundation, a charity which supports seriously ill young adults.

The organisation last year arranged a trip for Kimberley to see Snow Patrol in Glasgow after she initially missed out on tickets.

Her mother Mary paid tribute to the charity.

“The Willow Foundation is a great organisation and was a wonderful help to my family,” she said.

Kimberley died with her 19th birthday just six days away.

A promising student, she had been set to study at Dundee University.

The Perth High pupil started to get headaches which would not go away in April 2006 and was diagnosed with a brain tumour.

Kimberley’s condition began to deteriorate at the start of last year and she decided to take part in a sponsored swim after her reduced mobility forced her to pull out of the Race for Life, which she had hoped to run in aid of cancer research.

She threw herself wholeheartedly into the swimming challenge and eventually managed an impressive 50 lengths.

Despite undergoing chemotherapy and radiotherapy Mary stated there was “never any doubt” her daughter would complete the charity challenge.

The brave teenager died on July 17—just 19 days after the swim.