Please help us finish what Celine started

Family aim to help others as a tribute

The mother of a young woman who died suddenly last month has said donations to a tribute fund will help with her daughter’s “unfinished work”.

Perth resident Celine Dinis had been an inpatient at Murray Royal and was only 22 when she died on January 4.

She had been on a course at Perth College studying holistic therapies.

Pictures shared on her online tribute page show a fun-loving person, an animal lover with a wonderful smile.

Described there as “a much-loved daughter, sister, granddaughter, niece, cousin and friend”, Celine’s family said “she will be forever young and beautiful”.

Many people who knew Celine wanted to give something to her memory.

A JustGiving page set up by her family has raised £2308 in just over a month since Celine passed away.

It will benefit The Lighthouse for Perth, a nonprofit organisation providing a place of safety for people who are at crisis point of self-harm and suicide.

The organisation based in St Paul’s Square in Perth was there for Celine when she looked for help out of hours.

Originally from near St Andrews in Fife, Celine’s family previously lived in Dunblane from 2009 and moved to Perth last year.

They held a private funeral for her on January 26, leaving from the beach at St Andrews and going on to Dundee Crematorium.

Family members expressed their intention to arrange a memorial service when restrictions are lifted. She has a twin brother Lucas and a sister, Berenice.

Celine had been a card-carrying organ donor and her mum Tricia and her dad Dago had the comfort of knowing that through organ donation, their daughter’s death had already helped another young person.

Tricia told the PA: “We are in the early stage of grief. We decided to donate to The Lighthouse as I know Celine wanted to advance what they could offer, so more people across the area could find comfort during crisis.

“This fundraising for The Lighthouse is an initial step. We will be progressing other ways to honour Celine’s memory, her legacy.”

Tricia added that Celine had “unfinished work” in terms of her open attitude to facing mental health and her wish to reach out and share the burden with other sufferers.

“Celine was always thinking of others despite her own problems,” her mum explained.

“She touched so many people with her honesty, we have wanted to advance what she was trying to do.

“It went beyond her. She reached out on social media, she was very open about talking about mental health and trying to destigmatise the subject.”

Since she was a teenager, Celine had been engaged with NHS mental health services. Tricia recently took to Twitter to urge others with experience of NHS mental health services to complete a survey currently active online.

On the JustGiving page, the family explained the delicate situation they had been in: “Celine struggled with her mental health for several years, even with love and support from family and friends, she often felt overwhelmed.

“Mental health services are not always easy to access or indeed adequate.

“The Lighthouse for Perth is a local charity supporting anyone in crisis with their mental health.

“Celine had been in contact with them before her last hospital admission.

“She expressed how it seemed to be helping bridge a gap.

“We feel this [fundraising for The Lighthouse] is a fitting tribute to Celine’s memory and donations will make a difference in our local community.”

Find out more about the charity at www. lighthouseforperth.org

The fund in memory of Celine Dinas can be found at https://www.justgiving.com/ remember/833164/Celine-Dinis and https:// www.justgiving.com/fundraising/Laura-Kane12

Tragic loss Celine Dinis grew up on the Fife coast but moved with her family to Perth last year. She died on January 4, aged 22