ELAINE KAY BROWN, one of the leading charity and community figures in the British expatriate community in Almeria, has died following a decade-long battle with cancer.
Elaine passed away at around 2.30am last Thursday in Almeria City’s Torrecardenas Hospital. She was 58-years-old. Her husband Dave was at her bedside.
She leaves behind Dave, along with daughter Paulette and granddaughter Shannon.
Elaine founded the Mojacar Area Cancer Support (MACS) charity months after being diagnosed in 2007 with Non Hodgkin disease, a type of lymphoma cancer that attacks the immune system.
The charity was set up to help and care for people with cancer and now has six shops in towns across Almeria Province and hundreds of volunteers.
Tracey Ingman, a volunteer at MACS and a close friend of Elaine, spoke to EURONews247 on behalf of Elaine’s family.
Tracey said Almeria’s expatriate community had lost a “remarkable” and “inspirational” woman.
“Elaine was larger than life and lived life to the full. I’m extremely proud to have called her my friend,” Tracey said.
Elaine set up Morleys, a business making badges for school uniforms, in Nottingham while still living in Britain.
She went on to become the first female firefighter in the Nottinghamshire region. It was there that she met her husband and the two became the first firefighters to marry.
Elaine made friends and helped people across the expatriate community in Almeria through her charity work. She was also well liked by the Spanish community and had dealt extensively with local councils.
MACS continues to grow and Tracey said the charity was aiming to achieve Elaine’s goal of setting up a hospice for cancer patients in the area.
“Elaine’s family have been inundated with messages from people who knew her and the public. Everybody uses the same words to describe her. Everybody says she was amazing, strong and courageous,” Tracey said.
Tributes from the public have poured in Tracey said Elaine’s family were grateful for the messages of condolence they had received.
“She may have lost her battle but what a difference she made to the lives of many,” one person said.
Elaine’s family said they also wanted to thank doctors at Torrecardenas Hospital for everything they had done during her illness.
Dave and Shannon have invited people to come to talk about her life and offer their condolences at Miraflores Camping in Los Gallardos this Tuesday from 11am. The event is set to be held in the downstairs function room.
Dave and Shannon have asked for people to respect their privacy until then. They have asked for people not to send flowers and instead donate to MACS if they wish.
