TRIBUTES have been paid to the daughter of the late Fermanagh and South Tyrone MP, Harry West, who died at the beginning of May after a 21-month battle with a brain tumour.
Harriet Mary-Louise Burke (Mary-Lou), the fifth of seven children to Harry and Maureen West, Rossahilly, had been holidaying in California with family and friends in 2016 when the signs of her illness first became apparent.
According to her loving husband Robert throughout her journey with cancer, Mary-Lou, a former pupil at Enniskillen Model Primary and Collegiate Grammar schools, cared only for the feelings and well-being of others rather than herself.
She had been out surfing in California on the last day of her holiday in July 2016 when she began to have trouble speaking.
She was taken to an Accident and Emergency department where, while doctors were treating her, she had a seizure.
Following a number of tests, doctors diagnosed Mary-Lou with a brain tumour - a devastating blow to her family.
After a further week spent in a hospital in California, they made the decision to come home for treatment and to be surrounded by family support.
Mary-Lou underwent a seven-hour operation in August 2016.
As a community midwife, who had recently received training in reading scans, she was very aware of what she was up against.
According to Robert through, despite the trauma of her own experience, Mary-Lou spent her time worrying about the woman in the bed next to her, who had two children.
A number of weeks after her operation, Mary-Lou began a round of radiotherapy treatment, which was completed just before Christmas that year.
Afterwards, she underwent chemotherapy but suffered a recurrence in July.
She was placed on another course of chemotherapy, but doctors stopped this at an early stage after it was discovered that it was not working.
In October last year the family from Comber, were faced with the decision of whether to take on further treatment.
They were advised that more radiotherapy would ensure Mary-Lou would be able to enjoy Christmas with her family.
True to form Mary-Lou braved the radiotherapy and was able to stay at home, for the most part, right the way through Christmas 2017.
In January of this year however, her illness and the gruelling treatment began to take its toll.
“She was starting to feel very tired,” said Robert, “I don’t think she was up to more treatment.
“In March she started to lose her speech a bit and over Easter she had a chest infection which flared up again once her antibiotics had finished.”
Mary-Lou was admitted to A and E at the Ulster Hospital.
“They looked after her really well and she was surrounded by family and friends there,” said Robert.”
Despite having difficulty talking, when her family told her that she may not be able to return home, she told them all: ‘I know’.
Mary-Lou was moved to the Marie Curie Hospice and spent a number of weeks there before passing away at 3am on May 2 with her family by her side.
Reflecting on the 34 happy years he spent with his wife, Robert said: “I will always remember her smile.
“Mary-Lou had such a caring nature. When she had finished school she was deciding whether to become a nurse of a banker.
“Her aunty Joan told her: ‘You are too caring to be a banker!’”
Robert said Mary-Lou’s legacy lies within their three children: Joanna (28), Katie (25), and Patrick (16).
“I see a lot of her in each of them,” he said proudly.