Today we say goodbye to Dr Carol Coombes OBE – a great friend and incredible mentor to me and so many other people I know and don’t know.
Lot of other people have already said it better than I can – but Carol was a one off. The world may have lost her last week but she lives on through her incredible Babies and Grandbabies and also through all of us who have been so inspired and encouraged by her passionate support and positivity.
I know that Carol was there through many big decisions in my life and will continue to be there in all that I do and choose to do even now she has gone.
She always had a way of making you feel like you could do it (whatever it was!) and a had way of encouraging you to look at things differently and most notably – more positively!
Her wild tangents would make you wonder where she was going on a topic… then somehow lead you back to exactly what you needed to hear.
Then she would always say: ‘Does that make sense?’ … it always did! Well mostly – sometimes not right away – but she was a wise woman and sometimes you had to take time to catch up with her.
In recent months even with her ailing health she would still find time to leave me voice messages rejoicing in my new job with Young Voices or my daughter’s Prom pictures. She would giggle and celebrate even when (by her own description) her giggles sounded more like Barry White.
Not to mention her amazing campaigning around her own cancer treatment choices and wellness. More here if you want to hear it from her directly: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VQM98IVvy6s
Thank you Carol – you made so many good things happen, and made so many of us what we are today so the world will continue to be a better place as a result of you for many years to come.
I really like this summary of her achievements here:
https://theaws.co.uk/dr-carol-coombes/
Clare Edwards 