Dad’s tribute to tragic cancer victim Kirsten

A HEARTBROKEN father has paid tribute to his “beautiful and caring” daughter who died just five weeks after being diagnosed with cancer.

Edinburgh-born Kirsten Scott, 25, fought Metastatic Adenocarcinoma with “incredible strength and courage” despite being told it was incurable when she was diagnosed in September this year.

Her family are now setting up The Kirsten Scott Memorial Trust, to help people under 26 years of age who require support towards the kind of travel or volunteer projects which brought Kirsten such joy.

Father Alistair Scott, a senior lecturer in film and television at Napier University, said her diagnosis was a “devastating shock” for everyone.

He said: “Kirsten never once complained or felt sorry for herself. Her smile was always there to the very end. Like a bright shooting star she shone, lighting up the lives of everyone who knew her.”

The 58-year-old added: “At just 25 years of age, she has been robbed of her whole future life by a cruel and aggressive fast-growing cancer. We feel bereft.”

Kirsten, a former Mary Erskine pupil, had only started to feel ill in August after experiencing stomach pain, with doctors initially putting it down to constipation and indigestion.

She left her home in Kennington, London, to stay with Mr Scott and stepmother Carmen in Killearn, and was given the devastating diagnosis at Forth Valley Royal Hospital in Larbert on September 20.

She received palliative care at the Beatson Cancer Centre in Glasgow and died peacefully at Mr Scott’s home on October 28 – less than three weeks after celebrating her 25th birthday.

Kirsten grew up in Leamington Terrace and later Dean Village. She was involved in Edinburgh Youth Task Force, helping establish a Youth Council and the Scottish Youth Parliament.

In 2005, she spent six months volunteering with young children in the Peruvian Andes. She raised the money for the trip herself, working seven days a week in the months before leaving. Kirsten travelled through Peru, Bolivia and Chile and made an unforgettable journey by motorbike from the high mountains to the Amazonian jungle.

On her return, she studied government and history at the London School of Economics and after graduating with an honours degree, joined the graduate trainee programme for Aberdeen Asset Management in London in 2008

Mr Scott added: “Being based abroad gave her the chance to explore new places in Europe and she also managed trips to San Francisco, Egypt, Mauritius and earlier this year to Sudan.”

For the last year, Kirsten worked as global marketing executive for the company.

Just before she started feeling unwell, Kirsten enjoyed a holiday with her boyfriend of 15 months Charlie Rawkins, 25, in Sicily. Her funeral took place at Mortonhall Crematorium last month. As well as her father and stepmother, Kirsten leaves behind mother Moira, brother Andrew, 23, and sister Rosemary, 16.