My colleague Clare Dimmer has died aged 58. When she was diagnosed with breast cancer, 20 years ago, she decided not only to fight the disease but also to tackle its causes. Her conviction that fewer of us would need to endure this terrible disease if our everyday products and environment were free from hazardous chemicals drove her passion to make the world a safer, healthier place.
While undergoing gruelling medical treatments, with a stoicism that unfailingly drew admiration, she became a determined campaigner for breast cancer prevention. In 1995, with a group of friends, she set up the charity Breast Cancer UK; and in 2007 she became its chair. In 2011, the charity successfully worked to establish an EU ban on the use of the chemical bisphenol-A in making babies' bottles, and it continues to campaign for the substance to be removed from all food and drinks packaging.
She was born Clare Cole in Southampton and was brought up in the small Hampshire village of Otterbourne. She went to Otterbourne primary school, Toynbee school, Eastleigh, and Eastleigh technical college. At 19, she met Kevin Dimmer and, a little over a year later, they were married. They bought their first family home together in the village of Denmead and continued to live in the area. Until the birth of their two daughters, Alannah and Zöe, Clare worked as a secretary/PA, latterly at Plessey electronics in Havant.
Clare brought generosity of spirit, patience, humour and determination not only to her campaign work, but also to her hobbies of cycling, walking, badminton and singing. She would find any excuse to have a party and celebrate life.
Clare is survived by Kevin, Alannah and Zöe, her mother, Pam, her sisters, Jane and Pippa, and her brother, Jonathan.