A MOTHER who lost her daughter to brain cancer says her legacy is living on, five months after her death.

Linda Unwin passed away on July 2 this year after a brave 17-month battle with High Grade Glioma Glioblastoma – an aggressive, incurable brain tumour.

The 27-year-old’s tumour had been showing signs of shrinking after she got on a clinical trial. But the family were heartbroken in May when Linda went for a routine scan and was told, not only had the tumour expanded to cover half of her brain, but another tumour was also growing at the other side. There was nothing more could be done.

After being dealt the devastating blow brave Linda began planning her own funeral and helping her mum Catherine McKnight to set up her beauty school business.

Now, months after losing Linda, Catherine’s business, Lunar Beauty and Training Academy has won Training Academy of the Year award at the Scottish Hair and Beauty Awards.

Catherine says while Linda was ill at home battling cancer she helped her mum set up the beauty school.

She said: “Linda was at home throughout a lot of her treatment and I had taken time off work to be there and care for her. But she knew setting up a beauty school was a long-held dream of mine and she was right behind me. So, while we were at home she decided we should do something useful with all the time we had so we set up the training academy. Linda came up with the name and because she was a graphic designer she came up with all the artwork.

“I remember saying to her ‘I can’t think about this just now, we need to focus on you’ and she said ‘No mum, you need to focus on your future so when I am gone you have something to work towards and I want to be a part of making that happen’. She was truly special. Even though she knew she was dying she said she was lucky. She felt lucky to have had 27 years and lucky to have great friends and family. She said she was lucky to live, laugh and love. She was the bravest and most amazing daughter I could have wished for and I will never stop missing her.”

Catherine says receiving the award without Linda being there was bittersweet.

She added: “It was emotional giving a speech and Linda not being there but I know she would be proud of the achievement and happy that her vision of us moving forward with her push was recognised.”

Since Linda’s tragic death Catherine has been raising money for cancer charities in her honour.

She added: “Cancer should not get to take so many and my pledge is to donate £10 from every course that is booked every month for as long as Lunar Beauty Training Academy is in operation. Every three months I will total the amount and it will be donated to different cancer charities.”

If you would like to donate to Catherine’s fundraiser, or book an appointment visit www.facebook.com/lunartrainingacademy/.