Kelly went out of her way to help people

Kenny McCahon, who was Chairperson of the group during part of the time that Kelly was a member, said she was “just a bright and bubbly person, who wanted to get things done.”

Kenny became firm friends with Kelly when she joined in 2006.

“Kelly and I did quite a bit of work together,” he said. “Kelly became Secretary in 2007 and I was Chairperson.

“She was just as everybody says, bright and bubbly. She came up with good ideas. She had gone through breast cancer in 2005 and survived leukaemia at 11, so she knew what it was all about. She just wanted to help and went out of her way to help other cancer patients and their families. She was a good listener and tried to figure out ways to get any assistance.”

Kenny added: “Kelly was just a bubbly personality, she enjoyed life to the full. Anything she set out to do, she just did it. She really got things done. She was a good friend of mine and I just can’t take it in that she’s away.

“Everyone has their own memories of her. We just did things together as a team and even when Kelly wasn’t feeling well and was tired from her illness, if it was late at night, she just hid all that and went anyway and kept going. She liked working hard and really got Macmillan off the ground in Banbridge.

“She was a good organiser and motivator and encouraged people to get involved in street collections, whether they were in Banbridge or Lisburn. She raised in the region of £240,000 throughout the years. She couldn’t believe it when we told her the amount, she was smiling from ear to ear.”

Kenny continued: “She was always phoning me up, even when she was in hospital. I miss her just to chat to. Kelly’s is a personal loss as well as a committee colleague. On behalf of the Banbridge Macmillan Committee I would like to extend my deep sympathies to Kelly’s partner Nigel and the McCaw family from myself and my family.”