Christine Tulloch, 57, stunned friends and family by fighting an advanced form of breast cancer for five and a half years without it ever going into remission.

However, last week her health deteriorated and she died on Friday at St Columba's Hospice.

Since then tributes have poured in for the woman who co-founded the Booby Birds – 20 friends who decided to skydive for charity.

Tina Korup, a close friend and fellow founder of the Booby Birds, said: "Her story was remarkable because for so many years she continued to battle along.

"She knew it was a question of managing the cancer and she would never get any better.

"It was a shock because she seemed almost invincible.

"She was the person she had always been – she never became her illness, irrespective of how bad it got. It was incredible in a way – I don't think I ever heard her complain."

Ms Tulloch, a former marketing director at advertising agency Faulds and an ex-president of the East of Scotland Businesswomen's club, lived in the city centre and leaves behind a daughter, Hannah, 29.

When she was first diagnosed with an advanced form of breast cancer, she described the feeling as though her life had gone into freefall.

This inspired Ms Korup and other friends to go into freefall literally by leaping out of a plane in a charity parachute jump.

The Danish-born entrepreneur, managing director of Edinburgh business psychology company edoMidas, and her team raised £400,000 for Maggie's, Breast Cancer Care, Beatson Institute for Cancer Research, and St Columba's Hospice with their stunt.

Among those who took part were Irene Grant, head of corporate banking for HSBC in Scotland, and Karina McTeague, the head of legal and risk for Lloyds TSB Scotland, and Ceramic Experience founder Anna St Clair.

The jump involved 20 sponsored fundraisers leaping out of a plane, each one strapped to their instructor, high above Fife's Kingsmuir airfield.

Ms Korup, 40, who lives in Joppa, said: "We launched the Booby Birds in October 2006 and completed the jump in September 2007. It was an opportunity to raise money for some very worthy charities."

Former Lord Provost Lesley Hinds also lent her support to the event, which was administered by the Scottish Community Foundation, and which also received endorsements from Scottish celebrities Chick Young, Fred MacAulay, Annette Crosbie and Sally Magnusson.

Councillor Hinds said: "They approached me for support and I was delighted to do so.

"I'm sorry to hear about Christine after she fought so hard, and I am sure she will be sadly missed by all her friends and family. The one thing which shone out through all my contact with the group was her wonderful personality."