‘Inspirational’ nurse Gail loses battle with cancer

A DUNDEE nurse who helped to raise tens of thousands of pounds for charity has lost her battle with cancer.

Gail Milne, 55, who had most recently worked as a cystic fibrosis specialist nurse at Ninewells, died at Roxburghe House.

The former Menzieshill High pupil has been described as an “inspiration” who went “above and beyond” her work with the cystic fibrosis community.

The genetic condition, which affects more than 10,000 people in the UK, causes a build-up of mucus on the lungs. Gail worked tirelessly in raising funds to hopefully ultimately find a Gail, front right, on a family holiday. cure for cystic fibrosis. Her sister Lynne Armstrong, 51, said Gail had wanted to be a nurse from a young age. She said: “She worked incredibly hard both in the wards and raising money for charity. Due to the amount of charity work she did, I used to laugh with her that she was often in the papers to accept cheques rather than doing the fundraising herself.”

Gail had been battling breast cancer since 2012. She was successfully treated before a secondary strand was detected in her lungs, spreading to her brain in October last year.

Lynne added: “She dealt with it with great dignity right until the end.”

Gail began her basic nurse training in 1979 before going on to work at Dundee Royal Infirmary.

She moved to Aberdeen’s Royal Aberdeen Children’s Hospital before meeting her husband Duncan who she married at Lochee West Church in 1987.

Gail moved back to her native Dundee and took up a number of posts before becoming a cystic fibrosis specialist nurse in 2001.

Gail was “devastated” when she had to give up her post as a paediatric nurse due to her health.

Morag Beckett, 56, chairwoman of the Tayside Cystic Fibrosis Trust, said: “She was one in a million and had helped to raise tens of thousands of pounds. She will be sorely missed.”

Frank McDermott, from Fintry, lost his daughter Marie, 22, who had cystic fibrosis, in 2009. He said: “We met Gail when Marie was diagnosed and she was always smiling, laughing had plenty of time to spend with the patients.

“Nothing was too much trouble for her and we always appreciated that. She was a wonderful person and will be sadly missed by all of us.”

Gail is survived by her husband Duncan, her daughter Leanne, sister Lynne, mother Phyllis and her brother Gordon.

Family and friends are invited to Dundee Crematorium for Gail’s funeral on Friday at 1.15pm.

Gail, right, with her husband Duncan and daughter Leanne.