Friends and colleagues of Louise Miller, PR officer at Grove House, have paid tribute to her following her recent death.

They have described her as a, ‘truly remarkable lady’ who – as a wife, mother, grandmother, friend, colleague and passionate ambassador for the causes she believed in – was an inspiration to us all.

Many people had no idea that throughout the whole of her six-year career at Grove House Louise was struggling with advancing illness. Yet she always looked for something to be happy about every day, no matter how difficult that day may have been.

Louise was known to many people through the Herts Advertiser’s Grove House page, for which she wrote weekly articles for more than six years. Every week, no matter what, the page would be filled. Even when she needed to take time off for treatment, she would write the copy in advance.

Her personable manner and ability to put people at their ease made her an excellent advocate and constant champion for Grove House, whether in her written work, her sensitive interaction with individuals who were receiving care or raising funds, or through her moving and heartfelt speeches about her own motivation for supporting Grove House and latterly Rennie Grove.

Louise’s first experience of Grove House was as a cancer patient on the charity’s celebrated Cancer the Next Step course. The coping strategies she learned and the friends she made inspired her to apply for the job as PR officer and to embark on an incredible fundraising journey, bringing her friends with her.

Through initiatives such as hosting a ball and even recording a CD, the four friends raised more than £100,000 for Grove House. Louise felt privileged to raise the profile of – and vital funds for – a service she rated so highly. She saw the benefits of the service on a daily basis at Grove House and knowing that she was able to help make a difference to other people’s lives was one of the reasons why she loved her job so much.

Workmates describe her as an exceptional colleague, whom it was an honour to know and a pleasure to work with, Louise was a consummate professional, treating everyone with the same dignity and respect, always mindful of her clinical colleagues and what they were striving to achieve.

She possessed an innate sense of style, always looking elegant and graceful while retaining her great sense of humour, fun and love of “girlie” things.

Despite battling cancer for 11 years, Louise lived a full and rewarding life. She adored family occasions with her husband, four children and, more recently, two grandchildren and was a voluntary member of an adoption panel. She loved to travel and often fondly recalled trips to her favourite destination, Italy.

The Jingle Bell Jog held a special place in her heart, making it especially poignant that the event was in full swing around St Albans on the day she died.

A spokesperson for Grove House said: “We will miss her tremendously – and not just for the outstanding work she did but for being such a warm, caring and kind person. We are already receiving donations made in her memory and one dedication stuck in our minds as capturing perfectly her character: it said simply ‘lovely Louise’.”