Heartfelt tributes paid to Portsmouth teaching assistant who died from cancer

Sue Jennings began her position as a teaching assistant for Portsmouth Grammar School back in September 2010, and she spent more than a decade working with the children in Years One and Two.

Sue, who was also a devoted mother and loving wife, was diagnosed with cancer during her time at the school and became seriously unwell. Sadly the disease spread and the mother of two was taken into the care of Rowans Hospice where she spent the last few weeks of her life.

During her stay in the hospice, she was well looked after and her friend, Michaela Hopkinson, who also works at the school, went to visit her and, she said that she was surrounded by photos of loved ones and flowers.

Michaela and Sue both started at the school on the same day in 2010 and a good friendship blossomed over the years, both in and out of school.

Michaela said: ‘We were very good friends and she was just a lovely person.’

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Sue, who was in her early 50’s, sadly passed away in November last year – but her memory is being kept alive by her family, friends and the school who all treasured her dearly.

Michaela added: ‘It is very upsetting. She kept fighting and fighting but unfortunately she lost her battle.

‘She was at Rowans for at least a couple of weeks and they looked after her so well. Her family – her husband and her children can’t praise them enough.

‘I went to visit her there with a couple of other work colleagues, there was a little group of us, and we were all drinking Baileys with Sue. She was obviously very poorly but it was just like a catch up with her.’

The school were devasted by the loss of Sue and they decided that they would celebrate her life by raising money for the Rowans Hospice and they have recently given over £800 to the charity in her memory.

The money was raised through a few events that the school put on which included a Christmas carol service, a cake sale and a staff sweep stake for the World Cup.

Michaela said: ‘She was so caring and the children loved her.

‘After the shock of her passing and the funeral, which was before Christmas, I just decided to do something. I wanted to run a cake sale because I thought that would be a nice thing to do.’

Some of the staff at the school are also planning on running the London marathon for Rowans Hospice and Sue’s family will keep fundraising for the charity that helped their loved one in her final weeks.

Mrs Amy Wilson-Smith, head of The Portsmouth Grammar Junior School, said: ‘Our school community were incredibly committed to raising funds for the hospice to say ‘thank you’. Sue was a key member of the PGS community, working in both the Junior and Senior schools, who loved supporting our pupils to learn.’

Michaela added: ‘We won’t let the world forget her.’