The death of Linda Nolan was announced today (January 15). It came 20 years after the singer was first diagnosed with cancer.
It’s a loss that cuts especially deep for me.
Cancer has also touched my family. And, although not to the extent it has affected Linda’s, that didn’t stop the selfless star from extending the hand of friendship to me and showing her support when I needed it.
Linda Nolan was an inspiration
My love of the Nolan Sisters extends back decades, so you can imagine my delight when Linda decided to follow me on Instagram.
There, she learnt about my mum’s breast cancer diagnosis and, without fail, every single story or post I shared to the platform, Linda liked or posted a little red love heart in the comments.
The fact that she did that, while undergoing treatment for her own illness, touched my heart and, I think, speaks volumes about the woman she was.
That’s why I’m sitting here in tears writing this about her. She truly was a special woman who made time for everyone. And I don’t doubt that anyone who met her felt exactly the same.
‘Bald as a badger’ – and proud
I first interviewed Linda and her sister Denise back in November 2020, and her bravery in the face of such an awful disease was inspiring.
At the time, Linda had just finished a round of chemotherapy after discovering her cancer had spread to her liver, and her sister Anne had also just received a cancer diagnosis.
She was upbeat, though, and told me that her hair was just starting to come back through again.
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