THE tributes which have poured in from around the world since the death of Mary Butterwick underline the esteem in which she was held.

Until 1979, when her beloved husband John died of a brain tumour, Mary was an ordinary, loving North-East wife and mother.

Now, following her death at the age of 91, she is rightly being remembered as someone who made a huge difference to life – and death – in our region.

Many people call for change but only a select few actually make change happen through their actions. Instead of merely mourning the loss of her husband, Mary decided to take matters into her own hands.

She saw the need to improve the standard of care for the terminally ill and sold her own house to establish a day care centre which led to the establishment in 1984 of one of the country’s most respected hospice movements.

There are many families who are indebted to Mary and, such is the strength of the Butterwick Hospice, many more who will benefit from her legacy in the years ahead.

We hope her family find comfort in the depth of affection being shown, and from the knowledge that her vision and dedication has brought comfort to countless people in the most difficult of circumstances.

It is also very fitting that Mary died peacefully, surrounded by her loved ones, while being cared for in the hospice which bears her name.

We should all remember that hospices cost a lot of money to run and rely heavily on public donations. The best way to remember Mary is to make a donation, no matter how small, to your local hospice.