Bolton: Tributes to student teacher, 21,

Jenna Patel, from Belmont, was known for her beaming smile, and bubbly and happy go lucky personality that could light up a room.

Before she was diagnosed, she was in her last year at Edge Hill University in Ormskirk, training to be a primary school teacher.

Mum Priti Patel says that Jenna had dreamed of being a teacher from the age of eight and was due to finish university in September 2021.

Jenna and her brother Liam

But it was cut short when she was diagnosed with Ewing Sarcoma in July 2021.

Priti added: “Jenna was our beautiful daughter and always smiling and laughing.

“It was so sad that she couldn’t finish her last year at university because she dreamed of being a teacher since the age of eight.

“Even when she got cancer, the first thing she said was ‘I am so glad it’s me and not you or my brother, or dad

“‘I can do this because I am much stronger than you two’.

“She said she couldn’t cope if we had to go through that.

“When they explained the treatment plan and the chemo she would undergo, she just smiled.

“There was never a day where she was miserable, crying or upset, she could always manage a smile.”

Jenna was incredibly close with her family and loved to make others laugh

When Jenna was first diagnosed, she started treatment for the shoulder area, and eventually had surgery, and even took part in a clinical trial.

For a few months, the family were given a glimmer of hope, until the treatment stopped working.

Jenna then tried chemotherapy before it eventually spread to her lymph nodes.

She sadly lost her battle on Friday May 13.

Her brother Liam added: “Her condition worsened over the last month.

“We were told she was terminal a couple of weeks before.

“It was hard to process because of the unknown for her and us.

“I don’t know what I will do without her.

“We were a really close family and did everything together.

“But it gives me peace knowing that she isn’t suffering anymore and having to watch her like that was really tough.

“No one deserves what she went through.

“She was very bubbly and loved going out with her friends and having a laugh.

“We have had a lot of family round since it happened, which has been comforting.

“I think after the funeral it will hit us all.”

Details of the funeral for those who knew who or want to pay tribute

Jenna and her family had already been through a similar process before when her dad Manish was diagnosed with cancer, which was ‘hard enough’.

Manish is now luckily in remission.

She added: “It was hard enough watching her dad have chemo and go through the process.

“But then Jenna got diagnosed.

“She was still our Jenna though even when she had no energy right to the end.”

During Jenna’s chemo she would spend a lot of time with her family, with a blanket, watching her favourite shows.

Some days the family would even forget she was ill because of the positivity she carried.

To keep Jenna’s memory alive and to ‘never ever forget her’ they have vowed to still purchase Christmas and birthday presents ‘as if she is still here’.

Smiles all round for the close family

Priti added: “There is a huge hole in our family now.

“We will never ever forget her.

“We will carry on as if she is still with us, in any way.”

Some of the main signs for this type of cancer are the lumps that develop, which can happen at any age, and can be fairly common in children and young adults.

The family have set a fundraiser up (www.gofundme.com/f/in-loving-memory-of-our-beautiful-jenna) to raise money for the Ewing's Sarcoma Research Trust.

Priti added: “I hope that we can raise as much money as possible and awareness for her and this charity, so that more research and awareness can be done.

“Because it affects young children and young adults.”

Liam said: “I hope this encourages young people to be aware of it.”