“We talk about Jessica every day.”
17 year old Jessica Pardo, from Warwickshire, was a talented sportswoman who played rugby for Warwickshire County and trained at the RFU Centre for Excellence at Worcester Warriors. She was also a big football fan.
In May 2020, Jess woke up with a headache so bad she couldn’t get out of bed. Medical tests and investigations followed. In a diagnosis that devastated her family, Jessica was told she had a glioblastoma brain tumour, and her prognosis was terminal. Jess died just a few months later, in January 2021, aged 18.
Her mother, Sarah, made a promise to her daughter that she would say her name every day. She has set up a charity, Jessica’s Promise, to support other children in sport. The family also created JessFest, an annual food, drink and music festival held at the end of August to mark Jess’s birthday.
Jess’s Story
“When Jessica went into palliative care, she would ask us if we would forget her. We promised Jessica she would never be forgotten, and since she died our promise, and saying her name, is a huge part of our lives.” Jess’s mum, Sarah
“Jessica had Autism and ADHD, which means her social and communication skills were never typical of her peers, but it’s what made Jessica. She was funny without knowing but also could appear rude and abrupt when she didn’t understand how other people were thinking. Jessica was loyal and loving, if she was your friend she was your friend forever, but if you crossed her there was no going back.
“Sport was Jessica’s life and passion. Jessica always was so energetic, we had her in every sports club as a youngster. Then at seven, she joined the local rugby team, and she found her sport.
“When Jessica became ill she was playing at both club level and for the RFU Centre of Excellence at Worcester Warriors.
“Jessica also loved following her two football teams, her beloved Birmingham City and Real Madrid. She also got great joy in the football banter between her friends. Jessica would go to school in her Spanish kit on days when England was playing in a major tournament.”
Shock glioblastoma diagnosis
The progression of Jess’s illness was devastatingly quick. She first became ill in May 2020, and passed away in January 2021, aged 18. Sarah explains:
“Jessica woke up on 1st May with a headache. After a CT scan she was taken into hospital. By June, the devastation to our perfect family turned into any parent’s worst nightmare.
“We were given the diagnosis of glioblastoma and told it was terminal, so within weeks we started to meet her medical team with palliative care.
Dealing with her diagnosis
“Neurodiversity meant Jessica faced cancer in her usual way, factual and always truthful. She would say ‘I’m going to tell you something, and I don’t want you to cry’ – we would hold our breath, waiting for the next sentence. Jessica would then start to talk about her death, her funeral, and life after. For example she would say: ‘At my funeral can you play the Mr Blue Sky song?’
“As a family we sat and listened while she casually chatted about her worries as only Jessica could. Our family life as we knew it was devastated while Jessica was organizing the most traumatic time of our lives.”
Jessica’s Promise
“We set up a charity in Jess’s name, Jessica’s Promise, to support children and young people financially in amateur sport.
“We want Jessica’s Promise to be her legacy. Jessica always struggled academically and socially, but she shone on a pitch and excelled in sports. We want all children and young people to have the opportunities that we gave to Jessica. The sporting community is amazing and can change and impact lives forever.
“We want to keep Jessica’s memory alive, but not as a perfect princess, because she was not. We want her to be remembered as the troublemaker that she was – and as a teen who found solace in the sporting world.
“Jessica’s illness did not make her a fighter nor a warrior – she was a girl who just wanted to live her life. Our Jessica!”
Sharing my story to raise awareness
Sarah shared Jess’s story in Metro to raise awareness of brain tumours. You can read it here:
Share your story
When you or a loved one is diagnosed with a brain tumour, it can take time to absorb the news. But we often hear from individuals who say they’ve reached the point where they’d like others to learn a bit about what they’ve been through in case they find themselves in similar circumstances. It can also help to share your story if you are involved in fundraising or awareness raising activities. If you decide to do this, if and when the time is right for you, we are hugely grateful.
Share your story today: