Janice Ann Brodie was someone who would take on any challenge thrown her way and it was her fighting spirit that helped her defy the odds throughout her battle with cancer.

The 50-year-old sadly lost that battle on June 28, but she fought it with courage, humour and sheer determination.

Janice, née McCallum, of Sunnymeade, Upperby, faced a number of hurdles throughout her life, including the loss of both of her parents - her mum aged in her 50s, who also died of cancer, and then her father in his late 60s.

Before meeting her husband Eddie Brodie, 51, she had also gone through the devastation of miscarriages and an ectopic pregnancy with twins before being told she could not have children.

Aged 39, Janice was diagnosed with cervical cancer. She had surgery which successfully removed the tumour and was able to return to work in 2010.

Seven years later the cancer returned but Janice was determined to fight again. While going through treatment in 2017 she also pulled through a life-threatening pulmonary embolism, where a blood vessel in the lung becomes blocked.

Despite the odds, she survived and continued to focus on returning to good health.

In September of that year, she had surgery to remove the cancer from her pelvis and was told it has been a success. But the joy was short-lived and in 2018 she was given the devastating news that her cancer was terminal. It had spread to her lungs and her spine.

Janice never gave up. She told medics she would see the next two Christmases and her 50th birthday, and she did.

Her 50th birthday wish - and what she wanted more than anything else - was to become Eddie's wife. She started planning their wedding - to be held at Wetheral's Crown Hotel on March 29.

But due to her condition, the couple married on March 25 at Eden Valley Hospice, after they were granted a special licence for the ceremony to take place despite lockdown restrictions being imposed days earlier.

Born on January 29, 1970, Janice, who went to school in Harraby where she grew up, was very academic, and particularly good at mathematics.

She enjoyed netball at school and was also a great long-distance runner, a background that helped her take on Carlisle's Race for Life the year after her first operation.

Shortly after leaving school Janice worked at the Kangol factory in Denton Holme, before moving on to focus on her own business running a takeaway cafe at Whitesands in Dumfries.

In all her employments, she excelled. At Kangol she was a part of the union and well-respected among her colleagues. She worked two other jobs at that time, determined to save up enough money to buy her dad's ex-council house, where she looked after him.

In 2003 she started working at McVitie's which was where she would meet the love of her life Eddie.

Janice worked at the Caldewgate factory, in the mixing room, until she was no longer able. If there was an issue with the machinery, even the engineers would often refer to Janice who was a great problem solver.

Towards the end of her life she attended the Tuesday ladies club at Eden Valley Hospice. She enjoyed being among others in a similar situation and got a lift from being there.

Janice, a much-loved sister to Linda, Sheila and Brian, an adored aunt and friend of many, died suddenly, but peacefully at home on June 28. Her funeral was held at Carlisle Crematorium on Friday, July 10.

Tributes and donations, to Eden Valley Hospice and Hospice at Home, in memory of Janice can be made at janicebrodie.muchloved.com.