Linzi Craig
This is our tribute to our beautiful daughter Linzi Gow Craig born 11 September 1993 at 04.52am weighing in at a healthy 7lb 12.5 lbs. Linzis middle name Gow was named after her Granny Foley who passed away four months before Linzi was born. Linzi was the youngest child of two and her brother Jamie was six when Linzi was born.
Linzi was always a very content baby and grew into a gentle and caring child. Linzi was always very girly and loved her make up and clothes and was known for letting her female teachers know if they had lipstick on their teeth or if she liked their shoes. Linzi started Ancrum Road primary school in Dundee at the age of five then half way through primary, moved to Newport primary School as we moved house to West Friarton farm cottage where Linzi grew up. Linzi easily made friends and she remained close friends with all her school friends throughout her life.
Linzi was always smiling and everyone that had the pleasure of meeting her loved her as she was a joy to be around.
Linzi was over the moon with her 13th birthday gift from her gran and grandad… two tickets to see to her favourite group S Club 7 in concert. This was Linzi’s first live concert and she took her Dad with her, they were both buzzing for months after it. Linzi enjoyed going to lots of other concerts with her friends as she grew up, she was so excited to see James Morrison in concert that she burst into tears as soon as he started to sing! Linzi enjoyed dancing and age eight she enrolled at Yvonne Grey school of dance attending classes once a week where she learned tap and jazz and participated in their annual shows that were held at the Blyth Hall in Newport.
Linzi went on to Madras College secondary school and left half way through 5th year due to having a malignant melanoma removed from her right temple weeks before her 15th birthday and requiring several operations and corrective surgery. Linzi felt she had missed a lot of her studies. Linzi also left her dance classes for the same reasons.
Linzi always managed to find a job starting at Shoe Zone as a Saturday girl then a housekeeper in the Hilton Hotel. Linzi didn’t like those jobs but was happy to be earning a wage as she loved to shop! Linzi then moved onto being a dental receptionist at White Pearl dental practice then moved to Union Street dental practice…her last job and a job she loved!
When Linzi was 15 she met her boyfriend Darren and they were both inseparable. They both shared a love for Dundee United and were both season ticket holders and attended every game…childhood sweethearts that were together until Linzi sadly died aged just 22.
Linzi had been suffering back pain and became unwell after a holiday to Egypt in June 2015, Linzi was admitted to Ninewells Hospital after several visits to her GP and was treated for an infection, once discharged Linzi was readmitted and eventually scanned and her consultant confirmed her Melanoma her spread, Linzi was diagnosed with secondary cancer 3 days before her 22nd birthday. Linzi had melanomas on her spleen, spine, liver, pelvic, stomach lining and her bones. They had originated from the melanoma that was removed when she was 14. Linzi was started on a new oral chemotherapy drug and received two courses of radiotherapy but sadly Linzi lost her battle with cancer on 27.12.15 at 08.30am
Linzi touched everyone with her bravery and how she coped with the disease without ever complaining, she took it all in her stride with a smile still on her face.
Linzi lived her life to the full and packed a lot into her 22 years. She loved going on holiday and loved camping as a child and caravan holidays with her family as she always managed to bring a friend along. Linzi also enjoyed holidays to Italy, Spain, Bulgaria, Croatia, the Canary Islands, Ibiza, Greece, Egypt and a special 18th birthday trip to NYC with her mum.
Linzi was quite clumsy by nature and had many mishaps growing up….the day she learned to ride her bicycle she peddled right into the washing line and managed to get tangled in the washing and pulled out one of her earrings, she had only got her ears pierced the day before so was screaming and wouldn’t let anyone put the earring back in. It was years later before she got them re pierced! Another time she picked up a cactus plant with her hands…we spent hours picking all the prickly bits out with tweezers, then she managed to fall into a large patch of nettles….the whole night was spent dabbing on calamine lotion to her hives! she was taken to hospital in an ambulance during a dance class as she continue to dance right into the wall! and once at work she twirled on her chair and again ended in A&E with pulled tendons in her leg. She also managed to fall down Darren’s stairs and sported a huge black and blue backside for a long time.
Linzi’s death has left an empty hole in all of our lives that will never be filled but we are thankful for all our happy memories. This is such a fitting way to remember Linzi as she loved her selfies, looking through every one’s facebook, and was never without her iphone in her hand. Linzi was always very glamorous, naturally beautiful and a wee gem of a lass!
There is never an hour of a day that passes that she isn’t in our thoughts, so deeply loved and missed.
On the 29.05.2016 Darren and his friends ran the Edinburgh half marathon in Linzi’s memory #run4linzi and raised a whopping £6,185.50 for Melanoma Focus.
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