Crookhorn teenager praised during funeral service for attitude towards cancer diagnosis

Katie Scannell, 14, was diagnosed with rare soft tissue cancer rhabdomyosarcoma after feeling a lump in her groin in January last year.

She immediately started chemotherapy and radiotherapy at Southampton General Hospital’s Piam Brown ward to treat the tumour.

In October the family, from Crookhorn, were told by the hospital she was in part remission.

But in December Katie collapsed and test results showed she had a secondary metastatic brain tumour and doctors did not know how long she had left to live.

Her parents Michelle and Jason decided not to tell the teenager and seven weeks later, she died at home surrounded by her family.

Speaking at her funeral service held yesterday at The Oaks Crematorium, in Havant, Andy Searson said: ‘I was trying to come up with a single word to describe Katie and there was one that was shared with me and that was inspiration.

‘I can’t think of a better word to describe her.

‘I don’t need to tell you the obvious, about how totally amazing she was and how she was a little fighter.

‘She took her illness face on.

‘Katie made the most of every single day. She never let it get her down, she didn’t moan or complain.

‘She always had a smile to share which is quite remarkable.’

During the service, comments from staff at Southampton General Hospital, Queen Alexandra Hospital in Cosham and the Community Children’s Nursing Team in Portsmouth were read out.

They said how meeting Katie had been a privilege and she was their inspiration, adding she was always smiling and positive despite her illness.