Jordan Ellam

Born 2nd February 1993
Died 25th September aged 9

Jordan is my little brother. He was always a lively little boy, just like any other 9 year old boy. Always playing football and out with his friends. He was always on the go, always with holes in his trousers from falling over and he ALWAYS had a smile on his face.

When he was 7, In October 2000 he started being sick and complaining of headaches. My mum and dad took him to hospital and doctors loads of times and they said it wasnt anything to worry about, He became more and more poorly, mum and dad took him back and the doctors didnt know what it was. he had to stay in hospital a couple of times but they still didnt know what was wrong
It came to Feburary 2001 and he was diagnosed with a brain and spinal tumour at a different hospital.

He started his treatment of radiotherapy and chemotherapy, and he had about 8 operations, one was to fit a shunt in his head to drain the fluid out of his brain and another was to fit a portercath in his chest for his chemo.

He had a good life while he was here, he met all the leeds united players, He went to see nigel martin and Alan Smith before a game and had a day out at thorpe Arch with david batty.
He went to Lapland with wish upon a star with some of the people out of emmerdale.

His biggest achievement was being made a honarary figher fighter for white watch, pontefract fire station, where Andy, Dave, Pete, Colin, Barry and the rest of white watch made lots of his dreams come true including riding in a fire engine, having a fire fighters suit made for him, and been included in a practise drill.

Despite being ill all the time and in and out of hospital, he always wanted to go to school to see his mates, especially Steven Chappel, he'd been best mates with him ever since nursery.

In April my mum and dad took Jordan for a scan and the doctors gave him the all clear, the cancer had gone and that he was in remission.
Only 3 months later in July we booked a family holiday to cornwall, We all had a brilliant time, Jordan was with one of his best mates, Alex.
When we arrvied home, Jordan became ill again, my mum and dad took him to the hospital for a scan and it showed that the cancer had come back and he only had a few weeks left to live.

In september, everyone could tell he wasnt going to make it, he was getting weaker, he couldnt walk and the rest is too painful to talk about, we went to candle lighters in bridlington (A place where families with children with cancer can go for a break) for a week. When the week was up we went home and packed some things, we went to a childrens hospice called Martin House.
We arrived at Martin House on friday,While we were there, Jordan was getting weaker and weaker and on saturday my mum told me that he was going to die.
I went into his room said night-night love you, he said i love you back.my mum & dad stayed with him all night & at 6 o clock on monday morning he woke up being sick , He fell unconcious and didnt wake up, he died on wednesday morning 8.00am 25th september 2002 .

for the next 2 weeks we all stayed at martin house jordan was in a special room & we could go & see him & talk to him any time we wanted.

At Jordans funeral some of the white watch fire fighters carried jordan into church in formal uniform and carried him down to his grave, The chief fire officer of west yorkshire, Phil toase, came to Jordans funeral aswell.

Nobody will get over what has happened. Its the worse thing that could happen to anybody.
He will always be in my heart.
Never Ever fogotton.
My little Angel always.

Love you Jordan xxx


Imagine....being locked in your own body.
Imagine.... not being able to speak, walk on your own, see or swallow, while still having cognitive abilities and thoughts.

Imagine....waking everyday and experiencing the sensation of losing the use of a finger, toe, limb at a pace that shuts down your entire body within weeks.

Imagine....you are trapped, without hope or without a lifeline to the outside world around you.

Now imagine....you are 9 years old and have a brain tumour.



jordan
I remember the day that you were born
So tiny and so sweet
I'd waited a whole nine months
For us to finally meet
And there you were all 8lb 11 oz
ten fingers and ten toes
With lovely skin ,chubby cheeks
And a cute little button nose.
The years went by
and you grew up
Getting older every year
And then came the doctors words
every parent dreads to hear.
I'm afraid your son has cancer
I'm sorry but its true
My world turned upside down that day
At the thought of losing you.
The tears they came
And you got sick
You struggled from the start
but you weren't giving up without a fight
And you fought with all your heart.
You fought with so much courage
You'd put grown men to shame
But it wasnt right
That at just nine
You had to suffer in so much pain.
I thought you were getting better jordan
But then more bad news again
I'm afraid jordans now terminal
As the cancer has spread more into his brain.
And that was it
all hope was gone
There was nothing more they could do
I had to face the facts
That i was definately gonna lose you.
I never told you,you were dying jordan
As you were only still nine
How could i tell you,you'd never see
The things you had not yet seen.
we brought you home
Where you belonged
Tried to make the most of everday
It isnt an easy thing to do
As i had to watch you slowly fade away.
In the end it proved too much
And your body grew so weak
The cancer finally took you
It took you in your sleep.
And when i saw you sleeping
With the look upon your face
I knew that you were now pain free
And were in a better place.
That doesn't make it any easier though
For me now that you're gone
I miss you so much everyday
And I'm so proud to be your Mum.
Love you forever babes. Xxxxxx