TRIBUTES have been paid to a “nurse in a million” who died on holiday while celebrating her retirement and 37th wedding anniversary.

Janet Suart, who was a Marie Curie nurse for 21 years at Home Towers in Penarth, retired this year. She died of a brain haemorrhage when she was on holiday in Lanzarote with her husband.

The 61-year-old has been described as a woman who has “served, sacrificed and given to her community tirelessly and with utter dedication” during her time as a nurse.

Her daughter Soraya Suart spoke about the loss and said: “It would be easy to write several essays on how we will forever miss our mother and feel her absence, we could highlight the many ways in which we feel like our lives have been flipped upside down in an instant.

“Penarth has lost their nurse in a million, Marie Curie have lost their nurse of the year and we have lost our matriarch.”

Mrs Suart worked as a nurse for 40 years, having worked 21 years as a palliative care nurse. She was named Nurse of the Year in 2006 for her work and also tackled Mount Toubal and Mount Kilimanjaro with the Richard Parks team as part of his 737 Challenge. She also walked the Great Wall of China.

Paula Elson, hospice manager at the Marie Curie Cardiff and the Vale Hospice in Penarth, said: “We have all been very shocked and saddened to hear of Janet’s sudden death. Janet was a much-loved member of the team for more than 20 years.

“Her enthusiasm in taking on a number of overseas treks was inspirational to so many of our staff and volunteers, and she raised in excess of £15,000 for the organisation through her fundraising efforts.

“Janet was not only a colleague, she was a friend and was family to those who knew her, and she will be missed greatly. Janet left her full-time role with the charity earlier this year to take retirement, but still retained some shifts for the hospice.”

Janet Suart’s funeral will take place at 12pm, Tuesday, August 7 at the Cardiff and Glamorgan Memorial Park and Crematorium (Barry Crematorium).

Anyone who wants to attend is invited. The family have said people can wear what they like.

The family have asked for family flowers only and donations to be made to the Marie Curie charity.