Fundraiser for teacher killed on return after cancer treatment

The friend of a Scottish teacher killed in a crash on her first day back to work after cancer treatment has launched a fundraising campaign.

Caroline Nelson died in a crash near Helensburgh on Monday.

Mum-of-two Caroline Nelson, 45, died on Monday in the smash with an elderly couple in another car who were taken to hospital.

Last month Caroline posted a jubilant Facebook post about her final day of radiotherapy treatment. She spoke of treating herself to Ikea meatballs for a celebratory tea and wearing her lucky Wonder Woman knickers.

Mrs Nelson worked as an assisted special needs teacher at Parklands School in Helensburgh. She was travelling to work on Monday morning in a Vauxhall Meriva when the crash happened on the A818 Arden to Helensburgh road at Daligan. She died at the scene.

Now a Go Fund Me page has been launched to support her husband Sandy and their two children.

Family friend Kate McManus-Coyle, who is leading the fundraiser, said: “I would like to ask friends of Caroline and Sandy to help us raise funds to help support Sandy and the two boys and Caroline’s family at this difficult time.

“Unfortunately at painful times like this, the bills keep coming in. The family are facing the funeral costs and were in the middle of moving houses which itself brings its own costs.

“We would like you to - instead of flowers and cards - consider a wee donation to help Sandy and the boys along over the coming weeks.”

She added that Caroline was a ‘special friend’.

The £1,000 fundraising target was broken in less than an hour.

One friend said: “Love to all who loved Caroline especially Sandy and their precious boys.” Another simply wrote: “Thinking of you all.”

Caroline - who recently separated from actor husband Sandy Nelson - chronicled her experience of cancer treatment on Facebook. She wrote: “Cancer will affect all of us at sometime.

“I have to live with the possibility of the lymphoma returning for the rest of my life, those that assist us in dealing with this and through treatments are amazing people.

Mrs Nelson started radiotherapy on September 6 and posted about it online until the final day of her treatment on September 21. In her final post, she said: “Radiotherapy day 12, the final treatment. Just had to wear my Wonder Woman pants again. Almost cried when I said goodbye to the girls in my treatment room.

“Thanks for all your support and love and good wishes to all who are on this weird and scary journey too.”

She had spoken of being “run down, stressed and tired” in the lead up to her diagnosis. The former Glasgow School of Art student fundraised for Macmillan Cancer Support and had done so since before her treatment.

In a statement, her family said: “Caroline’s family are devastated and appreciate all the help and support they have received over the past few days.”

Sergeant Paul MacPherson appealed for witnesses to the crash which happened at 9.10am on Monday. He said: “Although a number of people stopped to assist at the time, I am still keen to hear from anyone who may have either witnessed the crash or indeed who saw the cars on the road prior to it happening.”

The other car involved in the collision was a Volkswagen Tiaguan. A 71-year-old man and a woman, 70, were taken to hospital in a serious condition.

Mrs Nelson was married to husband Sandy for 11 years and the couple had two sons, aged six and eight years old. Mr Nelson played Chris the postie in Still Game and appeared in Braveheart.

The fundraising page is available at: https://www.gofundme.com/caroline-nelson