And yet, in the case of Gayle McElhinney, who died after a long battle with cancer last week, it has also been an inspiring tale of bravery for thousands of people.

Hailed as Scotland’s bravest mum, Gayle, of Houston, became a local hero when people found out she had put her own cancer treatment on hold to concentrate on her youngest son Kane’s fight against the same disease.

The 35-year-old delayed having a double mastectomy after her second bout of breast cancer while Kane was undergoing treatment for liver cancer.

But sadly, the St Margaret’s Primary pupil was taken from his family in July 2013 at the tender age of 12.

Now his loving mum Gayle has joined him in heaven after she passed away on Tuesday morning last week.

She is survived by her husband Robert, 42, and eldest son Daniel, 17.

Robert, 42, who was at her hospice bedside when she passed, said: “We’re all completely devastated, but Gayle is at peace now.

“She’s not suffering any more. She’s leaving an enormous hole in all of our lives.” Gayle had hoped to reach the milestone of her 36th birthday on October 14, but the disease, which had spread to her breastbone, shoulder, lung, hips, spine and ribs took her too soon.

Yet, despite being on strong drugs to try and numb the terrible pain she suffered before her death, she had still been campaigning to raise awareness of childhood cancer from her bedside.

Last month Gayle spurred hundreds of people to add a special gold ribbon to their Facebook profile picture for Child Cancer Awareness Month.

The Gazette documented Gayle’s journey as she bravely delayed a life-saving double mastectomy to concentrate on youngest son Kane, who carried the same gene, resulting in an aggressive form of liver cancer, in 2012.

Gayle finally had the surgery that doctors had recommended after her second bout of breast cancer but it was too late to rid her body of the devastating disease.

Even from her bed in St Vincent’s Hospice in Howwood, she was accepting of her fate and was defiant about raising as much awareness of childhood cancer as possible.

Just before she passed, she said: “I’m ready to go. Kane and I will be together again, side by side, forever.” Hundreds of tributes have poured in for Gayle, with many speaking of her tremendous courage and fighting spirit during her battle against the disease.

Her friend, Victoria Lee, from Lochwinnoch, was also recently diagnosed with cancer and said: “I first met Gayle when my husband and I played Santa and Mrs Clause to her lovely son Kane, something we do every year for Calum’s Cabin, we later met again by accident when I was having a charity day.

“Gayle and I became friends we both had the same mad sense of humour and never give up attitude.

“The last year we would message each other back and forth on Facebook, sending each other jokes, then three weeks ago when I was diagnosed with cancer on top of my other health problems.

“Gayle messaged me and gave me a row for not telling her, such was Gayle a woman with the biggest and kindest heart I ever knew.

“God bless you Gayle — you and Kane touched the lives of everyone who met you. I will miss our funny jokes I know you will have god rolling in the aisle with laughter, dance among the stars Gayle and Kane.” Even days before her death, Gayle refused to give up spreading the word for Kane’s legacy.

And it will continue through loved ones who will still update and fundraise for Kane’s Wishlist.