TOUCHING TRIBUTE Mum remembers daughter’s strength in fight against cancer as family and friends of Jade Shovlin gathered to honour her life
A mum has paid tribute to her daughter after she sadly lost her battle with cancer of the oesophagus.
Jade Shovlin, from Roker, was diagnosed in May with the rare form of cancer and at the time she was given less than two years to live by doctors.
Following her diagnosis, Jade told the Echo that she was “taking it on the chin” and that she was staying strong for her family and boyfriend.
It is this strength that her mum Sharron remembers most about her beloved daughter’s short battle with the illness, who died on Wednesday.
She said: “Jade was so strong throughout it all.
"Being diagnosed with the cancer just did not seem to faze her in the slightest.
”She fought it right the way through and even at the end, you could see how strong she was being despite it all.”
Sharron said her daughter was diagnosed with the illness after she developed heartburn-like symptoms.
She added: “It all started with a pain in her side and what can only be described as heartburn.
"She was going to the doctors and Jade kept telling them that she knew her own body and that something was seriously wrong.
"With how rare the cancer is, the doctors and nurses didn’t really know what to do or how to treat it properly.
"I hope that anyone who gets the same problems really listens to their own body and to make a decision for themselves on how they are feeling.
"I will always remember Jade, but I want to honour her by making people aware that they need to get checked out properly if this happens to them.”
Family and friends of 21-year-old Jade gathered at Cliffe Park, opposite Falstone Manor care home in Roker, last night to honour her life.
Crowds of at least 60 people gathered, and also in attendance was Jade's mum Sharron, brother Matthew and her two sisters, Jennifer and Jessica.
After a balloon release, Sharron said: “The thing that Jade loved the most in life was to eat and drink as much as she could. So I want to say, enjoy your lives, eat and drink as much as you want and just live it the best you can.”