College's touching tribute to young brain tumour victim from Leeds

The family of a young Leeds woman killed by a brain tumour told of their pride today after plans for a special tribute to their much-missed loved one were revealed by her former college.

Law student Sara Djoudi, from Potternewton, passed away at the age of just 20 last month following a five-year battle against the tumour.

Now staff at Woodhouse’s Notre Dame Catholic Sixth Form College are set to introduce an annual prize in her name that will recognise outstanding law scholars.

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Sara’s mum, Angela Shortreed, said: “I’m very, very proud and really grateful. I didn’t expect this and the letter explaining what they were proposing came right out of the blue.

“I was taken aback – to be honest, I was crying my eyes out as I read it.

“She always made me very proud and, even though she’s no longer here, she’s still making me proud.”

Sara, who received treatment at Leeds General Infirmary and in the USA, was a straight-A student – even taking one of her A-levels from hospital.

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She went on from Notre Dame to study law at Newcastle University before her declining health forced her to abandon her course at the end of her first year.

Close family friend Natasha O’Brien said: “We think this is a truly amazing gesture from the college that highlights Sara’s special personality and achievements.”

Explaining why Notre Dame had taken the decision to introduce the prize, head of law Nigel Briggs said: “It’s not easy to put into words the sense of loss we feel as a college community at Sara’s passing.

“She embodied the qualities that we value and want to encourage in others, so a prize in her name seemed an appropriate way of doing that.”

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