I am very sorry to report the death today (26th October, 2001) of ex PGGS pupil Judith Flanagan. Judith was at PGGS between 1966 and 1973. 

With a small group of others, Judith and I 'hung around' the streets of Rainhill as fourteen year olds in the Autumn of 1968. Bad weather and our painful adolescent shyness caused us to drift apart. We met up about ten years ago and had a great laugh about it all. We caught up on the numerous events and experiences of the intervening years. She told me all about her very challenging job working with girls at Briars Hey in Rainhill.

Sadly, more recently Judith has been battling against metastatic breast carcinoma. She was tremendously courageous throughout her numerous forms of treatment. She studied the disease and volunteered for any new type of chemotherapy which might have given a chance of remission or cure.

I last saw her seven weeks ago. She had developed more very distressing secondaries. Despite this she was in good spirits and was cracking jokes.

She was particularly cheered by the black humour of one her ex work mates. Referring to the radiotherapy treatment to the brain she was about to have her friend had 'reassured' her with the observation that " you're so intelligent Judith that even if they knock off half your brain you'll still be a genius". By then she was fully aware that she was dying and her ability to find and enjoy humour in the situation is testament to her stoicism and bravery. Unfortunately the treatments have not been successful and sadly Judith passed away today.