TRIBUTES have been paid to the much loved and highly respected founder of the Ty Hafan hospice who has died.

Suzanne Goodall, who was 95, established the hospice on Hayes Road in Sully in 1999.

Her death was announced on Tuesday (January 10).

In 1988, Suzanne Goodall was recently retired and wondering how she would fill her time.

She had learnt about a friend’s experiences volunteering in a children’s hospice in Yorkshire but she discovered that, at that time, there was no children’s hospice in Wales and families with life-limited children were not receiving all of the care they needed so she spearheaded a fundraising campaign to open a children’s hospice in south Wales.

With the help of the public, her hard work was rewarded in 1999 when Ty Hafan opened its doors for the very first time.

Five years later, The Queen acknowledged the achievement by awarding Ms Goodall an MBE in her 2004 New Year’s Honours List.

Ms Goodall continued to play an active role in the development of Ty Hafan before she officially retired in 2011 at the age of 90, but remained in regular contact and was kept informed about the work of the hospice.

Ty Hafan CEO Kate Phipps said: "Our founder Suzanne Goodall was a true inspiration to the staff and families at Ty Hafan.

"Her dedication and commitment in launching the children’s hospice 18 years ago meant that hundreds of families across Wales have been given a light in the dark while facing the realities of caring for a child with a life-limiting condition.

"Suzanne’s endless motivation to continue providing the best possible care and support to these families never wavered and she has remained a much-loved and highly respected figure throughout the charity.

"We are all deeply saddened by today’s news and will greatly miss Suzanne’s warmth and determination.

"Every one of us at the charity will honour her legacy by continuing to do all we can to support families who need us," she said.

Andrew RT Davies, South Wales Central AM also paid tribute saying she was an "inspirational individual" who gave so much to seriously ill children in south Wales.

He said: "In founding Ty Hafan, she started an institution that has been instrumental in providing first class care for life-limited children, ensuring they and their families receive invaluable support in the most difficult of times.

"The fact that she took it upon herself to launch the hospice after discovering that no such facility was available in Wales is testament to her drive, determination and dedication to helping others, and shows she was a selfless person with the capacity to deliver for people in need.

"Her legacy is of course the fantastic facility that is Ty Hafan and my thoughts are with her friends, family and all those connected with the hospice at this sad time," he said.