Champion of the disabled loses her fight for life

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http://www.eveningtimes.co.uk/hi/news/5026624.html

 

 

Champion of the disabled loses her fight for life

FEARLESS CAMPAIGNER: Irene McMillan, who fought for disabled rights in

Paisley, with daughter Deborah Galloway and four-year-old grandson Aidan.

Mrs McMillan died last weekend.

SCOTSWOMAN of the Year nominee Irene McMillan has died of cancer, aged 56.

Irene lost her fight against the disease at the weekend. ...

Mrs McMillan, from Paisley, was nominated for the Evening Times 2004

Scotswoman of the Year award as a result of her work for the disabled.

Although she suffered a stroke some months ago, her lung cancer came as a

shock to her family and friends. ... " Her attitude was that life shouldn't

stop because you were disabled and she reacted against being treated like an

idiot.

" She was sickened at the lack of access in so many places for the disabled.

" She was self-sufficient and taught us not to take life or the people around

us for granted. "

Mrs McMillan, whose cancer was diagnosed just weeks before she died, had

fought illness all her life.

At the age of four, she was diagnosed with the rare inherited disorder -

Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome - which affects only one in 20,000.

It meant her skin bled at the slightest scratch. She also bruised easily and

suffered from severe joint pain.

The grandmother had frequently been rushed to hospital when a cut wouldn't

heal and her former husband Ian Galloway helped care for her in her last

illness. However, she refused to allow health problems to stop her living

her life to the full.

She was a popular clippie on the buses until a fall put her in a wheelchair.

And she was so disturbed at the lack of facilities for the disabled that she

founded The Buddy Wheelers' Club to provide a location for disabled people

to meet.

Until the last few weeks, she was still attending sessions at the Love

Street disability resource centre.

She was also responsible for setting up the Renfrewshire Forum for

Disability. She campaigned for disabled rights and also helped found

Strathclyde Forum on Disability on 1991. She felt the disabled didn't

complain enough and vowed to change that.

Mrs McMillan successfully lobbied for lifts and ramps at Gilmour Street

Station in Paisley and a lift in the town hall and lobbied Parliament on

behalf of the disabled.

She leaves three children - , and Deborah - and four

grandchildren.

This year's Scotswoman of the Year will be announced at an awards dinner on

Thursday, June 3, in Glasgow City Chambers.