A DALMUIR woman with terminal cancer has been praised by friends for her brave and candid attitude as she raises funds for the Macmillan nurses who care for her.

Margaret Dolan, 72, was diagnosed with cancer of the lung and colon last March, but was told in June there was no more doctors could do.

After benefitting from the support and care of Macmillan Cancer Support, she was determined to do something in return and, true to form, she wanted to have a party.

The gutsy OAP and best pals Nancy Mowatt, Ally Corr and Angela Halpin organised a night of music and fancy dress on January 20 at the 543 Club.

She was even serenaded with a version of her favourite song, “Maggie May”, by Jim McLaren and John Brady of the Karaoke Clowns.

Mags, as she is known, was unable to speak directly with the Post because of the stage she is at in her battle with illness.

However, her friends and family spoke candidly about the emotional journey.

Nancy Mowatt, 68, formed an unlikely friendship with Mags three years ago, which would often see them race each other on their mobility scooters alongside the River Clyde.

The pair met in sheltered housing on Dumbarton Road and realised they had the same sense of humour when Nancy pounced on Mags at an ATM and joked she was going to rob her.

She said: “I stuck my finger in her back at the bank and said ‘gie me yer money’. She still tells people to this day about that, embarrassing me every time.

“She said ‘you nearly gave me a heart attack’. We just laugh all the time at anything. We got called the Gruesome Twosome, but I say we are Hell’s Grannies.”

Mags has taken her battle with cancer “in her stride”.

“She told me herself ‘this isn’t going to beat me’,” added Nancy. “She said ‘I’m just going to live each day as if it’s my last and one day it will be’. It was me that was howling. She is so brave.

“She wasn’t well [on the night of the party] but she went. I think that kept her going – the thought of this party. She wanted to raise £600 and she’s made £1,111 before gift aid. She was absolutely over the moon.”

Originally from Drumchapel, Mags has five sisters and two brothers and worked as a shop steward in the Bowater factory in Milngavie for 30 years before retiring.

In 2008, she moved to Redgates Caravan Park in Ayrshire with husband Tom Smith but relocated to Dalmuir six years later following his passing.

Sister Elizabeth Halcrow, 62, said: “She means the world to me. She’s always game for a laugh.She was the first up dancing and she gets a crowd going. We went on many a good night out.”

Mags’s late husband, Tom Smith, was a talented musician who could play the guitar, keyboard, banjo and the accordion, which meant the parties were never quiet.

“He was a one man band,” Elizabeth added. “They used to have parties all the time and everyone was in their house. They were together for about 22 years.”

Margaret was known to stand up for those who had been wronged and Nancy said the sharp-witted lady could “argue for Scotland”.

Ally Corr, Nancy’s 34-year-old daughter, sees Mags as her “second mummy”, and said: “It’s been difficult, but it’s been fun as well. We’ve had laughs and giggles but Mags always says ‘don’t cry in front of me’.

“She would hear of something she wanted, like tambourines or maracas, and she would say ‘we will get some of them for the party’. She’s such a laugh.”

The trio of women are supporting Mags in the final stages of her life and they admitted they couldn’t have done it without each other.

And they each face their own challenges: Ally is waiting on a kidney transplant, while Nancy uses a mobility scooter and Angela has recently had a knee replacement. But they carry on with a smile on their face and a spring in their step because they’re doing it for someone who means so much to them.

Angela, 59, said: “Margaret was there for me when I lost my sister to a stroke, so I want to give something back. She was there for Gracey (Angela’s sister) and that meant a lot to me.”

Ally added: “It’s hard to watch someone you care about going through that and all you can do is offer support. You can’t take their pain away.”
Nancy said: “I’m going to miss her so much.”

Mags wanted to thank nurse Sandra Mulholland for looking after her and Sarahjane McGonagle, Dalmuir Café, and Christina Gillespie for contributing towards the raffle prizes.

Donations can be made to Margaret's cause by visiting justgiving.com/fundraising/ally-corr1