Family of pioneering medical scientist donates funeral flowers to St Catherine’s

The family of a distinguished medical scientist who pioneered research into cancer treatments has donated flowers from his funeral to St Catherine’s Hospice.

Relatives of Sir Oliver Scott, a radiobiologist whose career made many contributions to an understanding of cancer tumours and their treatment, called on family-friend Margaret Mason who owns a florist in Friargate, Preston, ahead of his funeral in Cumbria.

When they asked where the flowers could be donated afterwards, Margaret suggested St Catherine’s in Lostock Hall.

“They said they couldn’t agree more that the hospice was the perfect place to donate the flowers,” Margaret said. “I’ve had a lot of connections with the hospice over the years, and it just came to me that it was the ideal place to take them.

“I’ve known the family for quite some time and have done their weddings. I used to walk the grounds with the late Lady Scott (Phoebe Anne) and talked flowers with her. I knew what she loved so when she died I arranged the flowers from her gardens.

“I was very humbled to be asked to do Sir Oliver’s funeral too and to join them in saying farewell to him – he was a brilliant man who did incredible work.”

Margaret, who has run her florist for 55 years, added: “They’re a wonderful family who treat people so well and do a lot of good. They must know hundreds of florists but somehow we just had a connection – mainly through music and gardening.”

Sir Oliver died on 4th November aged 93. In the 1950s, he helped show how hyperbaric oxygen chambers could double the sensitivity of radio resistant tumours to radiological treatment, offering a successful method of treatment that was widely used.

He was awarded an Honorary Fellowship of the British Institute of Radiology in 1999 and was an active member of the Council of the Cancer Research Campaign.

The bouquets and flower arrangements from his funeral were delivered to St Catherine’s Hospice in Lostock Hall for use in the patient rooms and on reception.

Dr Andrew Fletcher, medical director at St Catherine’s Hospice, said: “Sir Oliver Scott is well known for his remarkable research into cancer treatments, and his contributions have changed the way medical professionals operate across the world.

“It is such an honour for St Catherine’s to be given the flowers from his funeral to help brighten up the inpatient unit, and we are very grateful to his family and Margaret Mason for thinking of us in this way.

“This is a very special donation.”

Share with your friends!