A TEENAGER who is recovering from a rare pancreatic cancer diagnosis – which impacts just one per cent of all sufferers – is raising money for three charities close to her heart.

Elise Ridley, from Moorend Lane, Silkstone Common, created ‘For Wreaths Sake’ in the run up to her operation.

Her mum, Jade Simmons, 42, said the three charities – Sheffield Teaching Hospitals, Cancer Research and Diabetes UK – were chosen because of her diagnosis.

Elise was left with type 3C diabetes as a knock-on effect of the surgery, which is why she chose Diabetes UK.

The 19-year-old has been busy making an array of wreaths for Halloween, autumn, the Royal British Legion and floral-inspired, jute wreaths.

Elise noticed a pain in one side of her ribcage and decided to get it checked – after ultrasounds, MRI scans and biopsies, she was diagnosed with a rare solid pseudopapillary tumour.

It measured 16cm by 14cm – taking over most of Elise’s abdomen – with a diagnosis happening around once every five years.

Jade told the Chronicle: “The staff at the Northern General Hospital in Sheffield were just fantastic and I know that the saying ‘we love our NHS’ is mentioned a lot but they really were amazing and they were always there for us.

“Elise had her full pancreas, bile duct and gall bladder removed along with the tumour on October 12 and is making a great recovery from the operation – we just have to wait for the histology results.

“The creation of the wreaths has done Elise’s mental health a world of good – it keeps her busy at a time where she can’t do anything whilst she’s recovering.”

Elise’s wreaths are available on her Facebook page, ‘For Wreaths Sake’.