Lisa Anne Muscutt
26 September 1972 – 30 August 2023
Lisa was born in Epsom, Surrey. She came from an ordinary loving thrifty family. Her maternal grandparents lived in Fulham, and her paternal ones were from Ewell. Her mother Elizabeth (Libby) and father William (Bill) met in Ewell through local groups of guiding and scouting friends.
At just 18 months, Lisa was diagnosed with cycstic fibrosis, a condition that affects the lungs and digestive system. Although enjoying an active childhood, a chest infection in her late teens worsened her condition.
She worked as a civilian officer for the MetropolitanPolice at Sutton, a job she loved, although stressful at times. She gained a 20 year long service award presented by the Commissioner, Cressida Dick, in 2013.
But as the lung infection worsened it left herwheelchair bound, unable to socialise or go out, on a constant supply of oxygen and weighing just six stones. Her stays in The Royal Brompton Hospital grew longer, and it got to the stage, when at just 32,they said her only chance would be to go on the lung transplant list.
Between November 2005 and April 2007,she was taken 6 times by ambulance and police cars to Harefield Hospital, but on each occasion returning home as the donor lungs were not viable. At her lowest ebb, with not long to survive, her 7th journey to Harefield was rewarded with the news on 26 April 2007, that the transplant was going ahead. On 27 April 2007, the long operation was successful, and she received new lungs of a 55 year-old lady. Two months later she was back home, learning to breath deeply, ever grateful to the donor who had given her the gift of life.
Lisa then made the most of a very active life, working part time, doing arts and crafts, playing badminton, socialising. She was a loving sister to younger brothers Paul & Chris and doted on her nieces and nephew in turn. And in Lisa was very talented personand could easily have forged a successful career in film or acting, not least because of her vivacious personality and gift for comedy. She was a Zombieextra appearing in a “horror” movie filmed in Sutton,and frightened other passengers on the bus goinghome as she was still in the gory face make-up. She also “starred” in promotional videos for The Royal Brompton and cystic fibrosis charities. She gave talks to the WI etc. on her illness and the importance of transplants, and being a donor.
She became a member of the Harefield Hospital Transplant games team, and winning medals in Badminton and Ten Pin Bowling in the UK, and in the British Team in Transplant “Olympics” in South Africa. And in 2019 she took on board Katie, a black Labrador puppy, bringing her up for a year prior totraining to become a Met Police dog.
In any group her personality brightened conversation, brought fun and laughter, didn't do staid and routine and tedious, and could lift the mood effortlessly.
So in 2011 she attracted Lee and they were a loving lively item for 12 years.
Lisa’s Mum, Libby, and my wife, Jean, were long standing friends from guiding days, but I only got to know Libby and Lisa really well after her Bill and Jean both died in 2013. Lisa became a very supportive friend in very tough personal circumstances. She wasa giver not a taker, with a rare ability to empathise. I went on wonderful holidays with Libby & Lisa to South Africa in 2016 and Turkey in 2017. But little did I know that Lisa was a supreme joker, mickey-taker, in a class of her own putting on voices, accents, pretending to be other people over the phone. Miss Mischief, as I nicknamed her, successfully duped me time after time – great fun. (But with the help of my friends Richard and Carole in Yorkshire, I did once get my own back in tricking her into believing she had won a prize holiday in Amsterdam.)
Lisa had the amazing ability to impact not just on those who knew her well but also even on some who never met her. Those friends in Yorkshires share everyone's sadness today.
She was a loving daughter, shown in the love, compassion and care she gave to her Nan, Frances, her Dad and Mum in their fading months. She had the extraordinary courage to accept her physical problems and not be limited by them. She was notself-pitying, which most of us would be given what she endured, nor a pessimist, always looking for the upside, the positives, the opportunities.
This really should be a celebration of Lisa's extraordinary life, a life cut cruelly short, but a life which meant a great deal to so many people. Hers wasn't an ordinary life, it was an extraordinary life; hers wasn't a grey life, it was a life of brilliant colours;hers wasn't a quiet life, and despite daunting obstacles she made sure that her life fizzed with love, energy, gentle ribbing and sheer good fun. We will all miss her, and we will all never forget her beautiful face and her glorious laughter.
John Martin
