A mum-of-two has died of cancer aged 43 after raising thousands for charity while fighting the illness.
Claire Robertson, from Ellon, was one of the models who relished her time on stage during Courage on the Catwalk at Aberdeen’s Beach Ballroom in 2017.
The solicitor was diagnosed with advanced kidney cancer following a routine scan after the birth of her second daughter, Holly, in 2015.
She poured herself into charity work for Friends of Anchor (FoA) during the last five years, raising more than £20,000 to help others in the same situation.
And a JustGiving page launched following her death on Friday has already reached in excess of £4,000.
Her husband, Ewan, told the Press and Journal about how his wife was transformed after she was selected to take part in the Courage event and loved mixing with the other models.
He said: “Claire was a family lawyer and she was used to dealing with other people’s problems, so she had to be serious about her job.
“But when she took part in Courage, it gave her more confidence, she became more bubbly and outgoing, and it also lit a fire in her to do whatever she could to help others and heighten awareness of kidney cancer, because it is a very rare form of the disease.
“She was so impressed by the quality of the care she received at NHS Grampian and, later on, at Roxburghe House, and she took part in a variety of different charity events even though she was ill for the last five and a half years.
“Claire wanted to be around for Holly [who is now five] and her big sister Erin [who is nine] and they are obviously very sad at the moment.
“But we are all very proud of what she achieved and when we went to see her at the Beach Ballroom, we could see she was overjoyed at being involved on the catwalk.”
Mrs Robertson talked about her time in the Anchor unit in 2017 as she prepared for the event.
She said: “I have seen first-hand the incredible work which the charity does for patients.
“The massage therapists are fantastic and boost your spirits during long days in hospital.
“I am so thrilled to be part of the Courage on the Catwalk line-up to raise awareness of kidney cancer and money for the charity that has helped me and my family so much.”
Sarah-Jane Hogg, the fundraising and development director of FoA, said that everybody at the organisation had been saddened by the news.
She added: “Ever since Claire made her Courage on the Catwalk debut in 2017, she was a passionate supporter of the charity – always at her happiest doing something for others.
“We were lucky to have Claire gift a day week to help us in the office and we were always guaranteed to have her alongside us helping at every one of our events over the last three years. Whether it was cheering on our runners along the sidelines with her girls or bringing hospitality to our table guests; Claire was there.
“Despite the progression in her cancer she was so determined to keep going and support the cause in any way she could. She was incredibly special and as a team, we are so grateful to have known and loved her.
“Claire’s husband, Ewan and girls were her absolute world and we know Claire’s legacy to the cause will live on through them.”
