FRIENDS of a Dunfermline delivery driver who passed away after a short battle with a rare disease that caused her skin to die have raised £3,000 in her memory.

In June, the Press broke the heartbreaking story of Claire Bassett, of Beveridge Street, who was just 27 when she died on March 25 this year, just three months after being diagnosed with calciphylaxis. This condition sees calcium accumulating in blood vessels and skin tissue, resulting in painful non-healing skin ulcers and sepsis and can lead to death.

The syndrome is mostly seen in people who have kidney failure and are on dialysis, or recently had a kidney transplant, though it can also occur in those without kidney disease.

Claire, who had lived with kidney failure and been on dialysis for the last 10 years, had been rushed to Victoria Hospital after being found “screaming in pain” on Boxing Day by her mum, Karen.

Sadly, she did not get better and had to make the brave decision to stop her dialysis – dying just two days after doctors told her there was nothing else they could do for her.

Now, fund-raising efforts by her friends, Lizy Paterson, Casey Phoenix and Kate Wemyss, and her brother, Gavin Bassett, have collectively made £3,000 for the Fife Hospitals Kidney Support Group.

Rosyth photographer Lizy organised a fun day recently at the Elgin Hotel, Charlestown, while Kate and Casey climbed Ben Nevis – scattering some of Claire's ashes at the top – and Gavin held a gig at his bar, 'Downstairs', in Aberdeen.

Lizy told the Press: “The fun day was a great success. We had lots of wee stalls on the day with cakes, sweets, a raffle, kids' disco, face-painting, tie-dye T-shirts, 'guess the kidney beans', bouncy castles and my own photo booth.

“We wanted to raise awareness of calciphylaxis and the kidney support group came along as well with lots of fliers and spoke to people.

“A lot of people were shocked and hadn't even heard of it, not even kidney patients. After the story in the Press, it got a lot of national interest as well, so it's been a great help.

“We've decided we're going to make it a yearly event – it's too late for Claire but she would have been really pleased we were doing this to help others and raise awareness.

“A big thank-you to everybody who came out and supported us.”