The Courier & Advertiser (Perth and Perthshire Edition)
Pop stars tell of sorrow for ‘bravest’ teen
Pop stars Ella Henderson and Callum Beattie are among hundreds of people to have paid tribute to a Kirkcaldy 17-year-old after her death from cancer.
Paige Dougall, who bagged a UK top 40 hit last year in a song recorded with Henderson, died this week.
It came two years after she had been diagnosed with Ewing sarcoma, a rare cancer that affects bones or tissue around the bones.
Henderson contacted Paige after seeing her online videos performing original songs about her cancer and promised that they would write music together.
A video meeting was set up by STV News reporter Polly Bartlett, who came across Paige’s videos online.
She arranged for the youngster to meet her music hero on the STV News at Six.
In an Instagram post, Henderson paid tribute to Paige, and described her as an “absolute angel”.
The post read: “Today I received the news that we lost one of the bravest human beings I have EVER come across in my entire 25 years.
“Her name was Paige and she was an absolute angel who did not deserve to be taken away this soon. “You were so full of soul, life & had an energy that could consume a whole room!
“I know your mummy and my mummy are both called Michelle and I just wanna say from a daughter to a mother that you are one incredible, strong woman & I am here to be yours and your family’s friend for life – just like I was Paige’s.”
The singer added that her latest single, released yesterday, is dedicated to Paige. Meanwhile Edinburgh-based singer Beattie, whose hits include Salamander Street, says Paige was a “really special soul”. Posting on social media, he wrote: “Sometimes words come easily, and sometimes, there are just none.
“She was a really, really special soul. She came into our lives like a wee tornado, and she made us laugh and smile, and usually also made us check our egos at the door too.
“Since our first moments with her until our last, we have always just felt like part of the same family, and that’s a very, very precious and rare thing indeed.
“We played a very small part in helping her in her time of need, but it’s something we will be grateful for, for the rest of our lives.
“The whole family always gave us this special feeling like we had known one another all our lives.”
Beattie added: “I think what we need to hold on to is the faith that she will already have moved on to a very special place, and she might have gone physically, but she can never, ever leave the massive and loving place that she created in all our hearts.”