SHELLEY JAYNE WOOD, daughter to Marion & Don, sister to Stuart, sister-in-law to Jane, “crazy” aunty to Jordon, Maddison & Imogen, and friend to many, passed away on June 21st, 2005 after a long courageous battle with cancer (3 major surgeries, over 35 rounds of chemotherapy).

Shelley was truly inspirational to all who knew or had just met her briefly. She touched so many lives with her bravery and courage and her wonderful smile. It was hard to believe that Shelley was so sick because she never complained, always one to say “there are people worse off than me”. An example was when Kris, a friend called to see Shelley one day when she was really sick and Shell said “isn't it sad about Kylie, poor thing”. Kris replied, “Shell, Kylie has an 85% survival rate.” Shelley thought about this for a moment and said “you know, you're right mate, I am worse off than her, I had tickets to her concert”. This was typically Shelley always turning things around with her humour and make light of her illness. Through it all Shelley never gave up hope.

Shelley's passions were her work, bike riding, going to the gym, cooking, music, watching DVDs and of course her nephew and niece. Shelley was a partner in the Studio with her brother, Stuart and was brilliant at her job and was so disappointed when her health would no longer let her attend and she worried because it put the whole burden onto Stuart. In her journal just the night before her final surgery she wrote 'I just love my bro to bits'. This was to be her last entry.

The last passion of Shelley's was “Relay For Life”. She was a committee member, and gave of her time when well enough, to try to raise funds for Cancer Research, and raise awareness that cancer just doesn't affect older people but it affects young, active, healthy people like herself. Shelley read the Oath in front of hundreds of people at this years' Sutherland Shire Relay for Life. Unfortunately, that evening Shelley was rushed to hospital but this didn't stop her from attending the “wind-up” function two weeks later. Shelley passed away three weeks after.

To Shelley .....“We love you and miss you so much, our hearts break. The world is a much sadder and emptier place now you have gone. The sunshine and 'noise' has gone out of our lives. We miss you darling. Love you forever, Mum, Dad, Stu and Jane, Maddie and Jordie”