Remembering Jenna – Gail and Jayde Adams pay tribute ten years on

3 September 2021 | Fundraising, Supporters

A decade on from the tragic death of Jenna Adams, her sister, award-winning comedian Jayde Adams, and mother Gail remember Jenna and talk about the importance of support that helped the family through their grief.

Jenna was only 23 when she was diagnosed with a high-grade brain tumour. Jayde, two years younger, was at university at that time and her sister’s diagnosis came out of the blue.

The sisters were very close growing up. Jenna had always been popular and a very protective older sister to Jayde who struggled with friendships and found comedy to be something of a safety blanket. Jayde recalls that she had no idea of what to do or say, or how to react when she visited Jenna in hospital and heard about the brain tumour. But Jenna urged her to tell jokes and lighten the mood during hospital visits as she found it hard to cope with the pressure of her terminal diagnosis making everyone so sad.

Throughout the five years of Jenna’s illness, the family were unaware of any specialist support available and when Jenna tragically died aged just 28, after suffering a massive seizure due to the tumour, her sudden loss was a huge shock for them all.

Having felt very alone through their own experience Gail wanted to do something positive to support others, so did a Google search and found Brain Tumour Support (then called Hammer Out). She immediately recognised the value of the charity’s support service, which was then in its infancy, and made that first connection.

Gail says “There’s no better therapy than talking to other people. The effect of a brain tumour is felt by more than just the patient, the ripples go out to family, and then to friends as well. So that help for everyone who needs it is so important.”

Jayde recalls how lost she felt without her sister and that it took two years for that devastating sadness to lift. Eventually, however, it did spur her on to see life differently. She remembers “When my sister died, I was determined. I had this new sense of responsibility to live not just my own life, but hers as well.”

Jayde’s experience of grief has certainly influenced her as a comedian and her achievements have included being named Britain’s top female comic with the Funny Woman Award 2014, award-winning shows at the Edinburgh Fringe, filming a stand-up special for Amazon Prime, hosting the 2019 BAFTA nominated TV show Snackmasters, and most recently hosting Netflix and Channel 4’s Crazy Delicious.

However, it has been a long road coping with bereavement and, a decade on, Jayde and Gail are together paying tribute to Jenna and wanting to highlight the importance of the support that Brain Tumour Support provides.

The charity’s vision is that no one should have to face a brain tumour diagnosis alone and without support. Crucially that means that emotional and practical support is there from the point of diagnosis and for as long as it is needed not just for the patient but for their loved ones too. The services provided by the experienced Support Team are free of charge and tailored to individual needs, so this may be one-to-one help, support groups, specialist counselling, or providing information and signposting to other agencies. The common thread in the power of that support is reducing the isolation and fear that is felt after a brain tumour diagnosis.

Approximately 45 people every day in the UK are diagnosed with a brain tumour, and they kill more children and adults under the age of 40 than any other type of cancer. A diagnosis can often have a complex and long-lasting impact on the life of a whole family. For Gail and Jayde, Brain Tumour Support was there through bereavement as a source of help and gave assurance that there was always someone they could talk to who would listen and understand.

In return, the family have raised awareness and thousands of pounds for Brain Tumour Support through numerous fundraising events over the years, including charity balls in Jenna’s name.

Gail explains, “Actually on the day of Jenna’s funeral we did our very first fundraiser for the charity. We wanted the day to be very much about remembering Jenna and celebrating her, not just being sad. She always liked putting on a party. And so we received donations and that was the start of our support and fundraisers which over the years have now totalled approximately £14,000.

“Most recently Gail has spent many hours producing top quality handmade Covid facemasks, which sell for £5 each with all proceeds going to the charity. So far the masks have raised more than £2,900.

Jayde still remembers how, shortly before she died, Jenna said to her “Can you make sure that no one forgets me.”

Ten years on, and mother and daughter continue to help the work of Brain Tumour Support as an enduring tribute to the young woman who Jayde simply describes as ‘awesome’.