Tributes paid to former Lancashire Teaching Hospitals colleague of 25 years who always gave her all to patients

Announcing the sad news on their Facebook page yesterday evening, a spokesperson for Lancashire Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust paid tribute to their "amazing, caring colleague".

They said: "We are deeply saddened to share that our amazing, funny, beautiful, clever, feisty, quirky, caring, colleague and dear friend Nancy Melrose has passed away after an illness this year. She worked for the Trust for 25 years and most of you will remember Nancy in her Occupational Therapy role at Chorley hospital where she was a well known and respected MDT member who always gave her all for her patients. She was an exceptional OT, passionate about improving the lives of others which included supporting other team members and sharing her knowledge."They added: "We all miss her deeply already and the office isn’t the same without her dry sense of humour and tubs of bird food! She loved nature and being active which combined in her love of open water swimming and running. Nancy was only 54 years of age, had a lot left to give, and her spirit and love of life will carry on within all of those she knew."

Responding to the news, others also paid their respects. One person said: “This is so sad. I had the privilege of working with Nancy when she started her career. She was always thoughtful and caring. My thoughts are with her family”. Another added: “She was a great person to train with, always helping others and having a laugh”.

Lancashire Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust is one of the United Kingdom's NHS Foundation Trusts. It provides healthcare for people in the Preston area and surrounding area in northwest England

The team have asked that any donations in her memory be shared with St Catherine's Hospice which helps families across Chorley, Preston and South Ribble who are affected by life-shortening conditions like cancer, motor neurone disease and heart failure and Salivary Gland Cancer – a charity for those with rare salivary gland cancers such as Adenoid Cystic Carcinoma.In memory of Nancy the Trust flag on the Chorley site will be lowered on Thursday, December 29.