A YOUTH cancer specialist has been named 'emerging leader of the year' at the NHS North West Leadership Academy Awards.

Jayne Pattinson, 27, from Greasby, is the Teenage Cancer Trust's youth support co-ordinator at Clatterbridge Cancer Centre.

She supports young people with cancer across Merseyside and Cheshire, giving them the help they need to regain their confidence after treatment.

Laura Elder, Teenage Cancer Trust Teenage and Young Adult Lead Nurse at The Clatterbridge Cancer Centre nominated Jayne.

She said: “We are thrilled Jayne was rightly awarded for her achievements with this group of sometimes hard-to-reach patients.

"She travels across the Merseyside and Cheshire cancer network to homes and hospitals to motivate and inspire teenage and young adults to move on confidently after cancer treatment.

"She has helped so many young patients get back into work and college, engaging with schools and universities and constantly learning from medical professionals, and looking for ways to develop her skills to benefit her patients and their future.

“But more than the practical elements required to get life back on track, Jayne is a friend and a peer to her patients.

"She is a champion for young people living with and beyond a cancer diagnosis, and a fun person to be around.

"She's no stranger to rock climbing or sailing on day trips out, because she does whatever is required to help them with what they need.

"She really is a jewel in the NHS crown and we are sure she will be a remarkable leader in the future. We’re very lucky to have her in our team."