A HEARTBROKEN family has paid tribute to the life of an "inspirational" 24-year-old who has died from cancer. Glenn Foster was diagnosed with Lymphoma last year but he remained confident he could overcome the illness.

A HEARTBROKEN family has paid tribute to the life of an "inspirational" 24-year-old who has died from cancer.

Glenn Foster was diagnosed with Lymphoma last year but he remained confident he could overcome the illness.

But a biopsy revealed the spread of the cancer was greater than initially thought and complications meant he was only able to have one dose of chemotherapy.

Earlier this month Glenn's mother and father, Christine and Ron, were told the disease was terminal and were devastated when their only child died later that day at St. Bartholomew's Hospital in London.

They and Glenn's girlfriend, Lorraine Golding, who rushed to be by his side, were with him when he died.

Speaking at their home in Great Totham, near Maldon, yesterday, Mrs Foster said her son had always been a fighter having suffered from a number of diseases throughout his life.

Glenn was the deputy manager of the Daisy Chain Day Nursery in Maldon where he had met his girlfriend, Lorraine.

Mrs Foster said many of the children there were finding it hard to understand what had happened.

"The children adored him. Some of them don't quite understand what is going on. They said they have been looking for Glenn in the sky because he is a very bright star.

"He loved his work, there were people at first who were apprehensive about a male getting into a female profession but the parents realised it was the right thing.

"He absolutely loved his job and Essex County Council used him to promote child care to get more men into the profession," she said.

Glenn was a member of the Maldon Methodist Church and had taught at the Sunday School and was also a steward there.

The family also belonged to the Harambaeedrama group and last year Glenn had played Fagan in a production of Oliver at Maldon Town Hall. He had also starred as Jesus in Jesus Christ Superstar.

Glenn had suffered from various illnesses when he was growing up including Crohn's disease but his family said he always wanted to lead as normal a life as he could.

He did not have antibodies to fight infection and nearly died at the age of seven from pneumonia and later suffered from ME and Marfan's Syndrome which affects the heart and skeletal system and meant Glenn had to stop playing sports such as football.

At one stage doctors warned that the youngster only had six months left to live but he defied the odds to battle on.

"He never let anything stop him at school - he could not stay for a full day and would only come in for a half day but his teacher would say he would do a day's work in half a day.

"He was a great inspiration to others and would not let you know how he was feeling, he would always ask how you were instead.

"He was very caring, considerate person and never had an enemy, he never said a bad word about anybody," Mrs Foster said.

Glenn was godfather to six children and although he was an only child he had befriended many of the "brothers and sisters" his parents fostered over an 18-year period.

"He was caring and I am proud he was our son, he never caused us any worries," Mrs Foster said.

Following his death earlier this month, the family have been sent more than 200 sympathy cards and are now planning to create a memorial.

Lorraine, 20, said when Glenn had been diagnosed with cancer last November he had seen it as another battle to be won and did not consider the possibility of losing.

"He was very optimistic he was going to beat it and we did not think for a second he was not going to pull through."

n Glenn's funeral will be held at Maldon Methodist Church on February 22 at 1.15pm followed by a committal at Chelmsford Crematorium at 2.45pm.

Anyone wanting to send donations can do so by writing to the Glenn Foster Memorial Fund, c/o Co-Operative Funeral Service, 13-15 Market Hill, Maldon.