A PROUD husband who married the love of his life just months before she died has paid tribute to her life.

Janice Brodie, 50, lost her battle with cancer on June 28. Three months earlier she and her husband Eddie had said their vows at a special ceremony at Eden Valley Hospice on March 25.

Her 50th birthday wish - and what she wanted more than anything else - was to become Eddie's wife.

The UK when into lockdown two days earlier and the couple, of Sunnymeade, Upperby, who had many happy years together, had to be granted a special licence to tie the knot.

They had planned to marry at the Crown Hotel, in Wetheral, and celebrate with friends and family on March 29 but it still meant the world to Janice.

“It was important. It was a great feeling and I knew that was what she wanted more than anything,”said Eddie, who turned 51 on their wedding day.

Paying tribute to his kind and courageous wife he said: “She was the strongest and bravest person I have ever known in my life.

“Right through her life it has been a current theme. She had a stubborn determination about her. If there was a challenge then she wanted to meet the challenge. That was the way she was. And when she was ill that was a big part of what kept her going.”

Janice, who grew up in Harraby, Carlisle, was diagnosed with cervical cancer in January 2009, aged 39. She had a radical hysterectomy in February that year and returned to her job at McVitie's in 2010.

But in 2016 the cancer returned, this time on her pelvis. Janice underwent chemotherapy and intensive radiotherapy but then suffered a sudden pulmonary embolism, a blocked blood vessel in the lung, in May 2017.

“That was quite worrying,” said Eddie. “We thought we were going to lose her then. The doctor said it was probably the biggest cluster he had ever seen but she defied the odds and came through that.”

Months later she had an operation to removed the tumour on her pelvis, which was initially deemed a success. She recovered and enjoyed Christmas and New Year but was given devastating news in January 2018 following a routine scan.

The tumour was still there and it was bigger. A further scan a few months later showed the cancer had spread to four new areas, including her spine and lungs. It was terminal.

"She went from the elation of being told it was a success to devastation," said Eddie.

Janice fought the illness for the best part of two years and also developed sepsis while she was in hospital.

"She didn't complain at all. She always told people she couldn't give up and go anywhere because she had three pups to look after - the two dogs and me," Eddie continued.

"She had a great sense of humour and throughout it all, she was the one laughing and keeping everyone going. Everybody took strength from her.

"She was one of those people who could just light up a room.

"She laughed a lot and when she was bouncing back from these illnesses the doctors were just amazed.

"She referred to herself as a ninja, because ninja wouldn't give in a kept coming back. That was her humour and how she expressed it."