A POWYS woman described as “beautiful inside and out” has lost her battle with cancer, with her funeral to take place later this month.

Darren Mackay said his wife, Cat Mackay, “fought like a tiger” for three years after being diagnosed with terminal colon cancer in September 2020.

Cat bravely shared details of her story on several occasions since then, including when the couple resorted to selling their furniture on Facebook to raise funds for treatment – as she bravely insisted “I’m not ready to die yet”.

In June how Cat and Darren organised a charity event in their home village of Llanddewi, near Llandrindod Wells, to raise funds for her treatment, and where they also renewed their wedding vows.

Treatment for the mother-of-three’s cancer had been free on the NHS until 2016, but is now only available privately, leading to them spending around £30,000 to battle it themselves.

Sadly on Friday, October 27, Cat died aged 64.

Darren, in an emotional Facebook post, said: “Last night my beautiful wife Cat Mackay finally could not fight any more and slipped peacefully away with me by her side, leaving a massive void that I will never fill.

“She touched so many lives and gave of herself without question and there are so many people out there who have experienced that and whose lives have been changed by her.

“Cat fought like a tiger for three years against the cruellest of diseases but always kept her humour and her absolute love for people, helping others at the same time as going through her own pain and the crushing side effects of treatment.

“I loved her more than I can possibly say and will miss her always.

“This post is not about fishing for sympathy; if Cat touched your life in some way then donate to a cancer research charity or write to your MP to demand better diagnostics for the NHS so someone else does not have to go through what happened to her. This is what she would want.

“Love you my soulmate, beautiful inside and out and I am so grateful for the time we had together, it was just way too short.”

Darren said Cat’s funeral will be held at Hereford Crematorium on Thursday, November 23, at 2.15pm

“Cat loved people so if she touched your life in some way you would be welcome,” he said.

“Cat also loved colour and always said to me that she wanted her funeral to be colourful so please wear at least a small something colourful to remember her.

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“A celebration of Cat’s life will then be held at Llanddewi Village Hall, with food, music and good company which were always her favourite things.”

Cat’s treatment had involved her travelling regularly to Germany, and even though she and Darren managed to raise a substantial figure, the need to fund expensive chemotherapy and radiotherapy sessions came back around every six weeks.

The couple’s renewal of vows ceremony took place on June 3 – on the eve of their 10th wedding anniversary.

Cat, a painter and writer who had lived in Powys for about 30 years, described the ceremony as her way of saying thank you to the man who has been her absolute rock.

“Darren’s been brilliant, he’s there for me in good times and in bad,” said Cat ahead of the event.

“I don’t know how I would have got this far without him. He’s changed my life, so this event is a way to show my appreciation to him.”