BRAVE KIRSTY LOSES BATTLE WITH DISEASE

A CAMPAIGNER who raised funds to help find a cure for cystic fibrosis has died from the illness.

Kirsty Harvey, 34, was a longterm campaigner on CF issues, trying to find a cure for the disease after being diagnosed in 1984 at the age of just nine months.

Her family were told the average life expectancy then was fourteen, but Kirsty defied the BY BEV LYONS odds to live life to the full and, aged 22, met the love of her life and the man she called her rock, her eventual husband Dougie.

At 24 she survived a near fatal lung collapse but was put on the transplant list and received what she called ‘the gift of life’ a day after her 26th birthday.

Dougie said in an online post last Sunday: “Yesterday morning my beautiful wife Kirsty Harvey passed away, peacefully in my arms, surrounded by our families. I can’t even begin to explain how lucky I feel to have been able to share the time we had together.”

Pals took to social media to pay tribute to the campaigner, who was also a registered wedding celebrant.

Shereen Smillie said: “I am so saddened by this news. My husband Ryan Smillie and I had the greatest pleasure of meeting Kirsty when she conducted our wedding for us.

“She truly was an inspiration and we felt so at ease in her company. She really did light up a room, and our wedding was so heartfelt because of Kirsty.

“Thinking of you all at this really sad time xxx”