A trailblazer for women's rights has died of cancer.

A memorial service will be held this afternoon for Penny Dill, former executive director of the Women's Resource Centre, who passed away on March 31.

Ms Dill was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2007 and died at the age of 54. She was renowned as a champion of women's rights on the Island and campaigned tirelessly to raise awareness of domestic violence and sexual abuse, advocating legislative changes to protect victims.

Ms Dill, of Sandys, leaves three daughters Patricia, 35, Colleen, 30, and Allison, 27, her mother Margaret John, brother Stephen John, and ex-husband David Dill.

Allison Dill, who has spent the last couple of years caring for her mother, said: "She put up a brave fight."

Miss Dill said her mother started volunteering at the Women's Resource Centre as a hotline counsellor and eventually became the executive director, a position she held for six years until her diagnosis.

"She was just passionate about the centre and helping women in general," said Miss Dill. "She just believed in what they were doing and in helping the community. She always encouraged us as her family to get involved in volunteering and in helping others."

Miss Dill described her mother as "very easygoing with a great sense of humour".

"She loved to laugh but was also quiet and had a charm and elegance about her," she said.

Ms Dill grew up in Kent, England, where she attended nursing school. When she met David Dill however, they got married and she moved to Bermuda to start a family.

Apart from her work at the Women's Resource Centre Ms Dill also worked in the Capital Investor Relations department of XL.

Her eldest daughter Patricia currently works in customer care at CellularOne while Colleen is an underwriter in New York. Mr. Dill, a former project manager with Cable and Wireless, is now retired.

Miss Dill said that in the last stages of her life, her mother was greatly helped by the PALS cancer charity and in particular nurse Kathy Fox.

"Ever since she was diagnosed they took excellent care of her. Her nurse was always there right to the end. I don't know what we would have done without her," she said.

At today's service, the family is requesting donations to PALS and the Women's Resource Centre, instead of flowers. Ms Dill has also requested that guests, family and friends wear bright colours.

'She wanted her service to be as colourful as possible, she didn't want any gloom and doom so thought colours would help," said Miss Dill.

"On behalf of her family and friends she will be greatly missed."

A spokeswoman for the Women's Resource Centre said: "Penny Dill dedicated years of service and achieved groundbreaking work to support and empower Bermudian women.

"She was a real driving force behind the centre and will be missed greatly by all of us. The growth we are experiencing now is due in a large part to her work and her efforts.

"We would like to send our condolences to her family and to the Island in general, which has lost a tireless pioneer."

The Memorial Service for Ms Dill takes place at the Christ Anglican Church, Devonshire, at 3 p.m.