Heartbroken mum's thanks after funeral of 21-year-old Jade Shovlin

The 21-year-old, from Roker, was diagnosed with a rare form of incurable cancer in May 2020 and was given two years to live by doctors.

Devastatingly on August 12, Jade, a carer at Falstone Manor Care Home, lost her battle with cancer of the oesophagus.

Her mum, Sharron Shovlin, paid tribute to her ‘incredibly brave and strong girl’ who had a ‘heart of gold’.

Now the beloved carer’s family have thanked everyone for their kind words about Jade following a private family funeral for the 21-year-old on September 9.

Jade sadly leaves behind her mum Sharron, brother Matthew and her two sisters, Jessica and Jennifer.

Posting on Twitter, Sharron said: “I just want to say a big thank you to everyone. Somehow I’ll get to read all the lovely words you’ve all kindly put. It was a day I showed Jade the love I’ll always show her. A day to celebrate enjoy her love of food and drink, her favourite colours and flowers.”

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.

Jade was diagnosed with the rare form of cancer after she developed heartburn-like symptoms.

Sharron said: “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.”

Thousands of pounds were raised in the hope of making Jade’s dream of visiting the Pig Beach island in the Bahamas a reality – but devastatingly it was a dream she never got to fulfil.

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