A mum has tragically died just 18 months after her partner, leaving their 11-year-old daughters orphaned.

Hannah Whittall, 33, nicknamed “super mum”, had kept her breast cancer diagnosis secret from her daughters, Isabelle and Emmy, who had already lost their dad to pneumonia.

The mum, from Staffordshire, had been told she was cured of the disease after undergoing months of chemotherapy and a double mastectomy in August 2024.

However, she relapsed within a month, with the cancer having also spread to her bones.

Hannah’s brother, Thomas, 33, told Birmingham Live that the orphaned girls are currently being looked after by Hannah’s dad and his wife.

He added: “They loved their mum and didn’t spend more than two days away from Hannah and the only time they did was when she was in hospital, they were obsessed with her.”

In a GoFundMe fundraiser set up for Isabelle and Emmy, which has so far raised £38,500, a family member elaborated on the events leading up to Hannah’s death.

They told how she had received her diagnosis on January 5, 2024 after discovering a lump under her arm.

Shortly afterwards, she was diagnosed with Stage 3 breast cancer.

In the months following, Hannah was forced to give up her cleaning business to focus on a six-month course of chemotherapy.

The treatment also threw her into a chemically induced menopause.

Worried about telling her twins, Hannah “led a double life,” the family member said, adding: “She fought the disease in secret, wearing a wig from February onwards to mask the hair loss.

“She fought fiercely, and her daughters never saw the toll the chemotherapy was taking on her body.”

In September 2024, Hannah was given the all-clear – and was finally able to tell her daughters the truth.

But just a month later, she learned that the cancer had returned – and was this time Stage 4.

After Christmas, the mum returned back to hospital where she deteriorated rapidly – suffering with pneumonia, HMPV and sepsis.

She died on January 14, surrounded by her closest family including Isabelle and Emmy.

In a touching tribute, the family member added: “Hannah may have lost her battle with cancer, but her spirit, her love, and her strength will never be forgotten.

“She was the funniest most loved person who touched the lives of everyone she met and a mother who gave everything for her children, and in that, she left behind a legacy that will last for generations to come.”

The draft is three weeks away now. GM Ryan Poles and head coach Ben Johnson have pieced together an off-season that is earning widespread praise across the league. The question is whether they can stick the landing with their 1st round pick in the draft. Current projections have the top three picks likely being a mix of Cam Ward, Travis Hunter, and Abdul Carter. After that, it gets tricky. People in Chicago want to know where running back Ashton Jeanty will end once the dust settles.

Widespread belief has been that the Las Vegas Raiders are the heavy favorites to take him at 6th overall, with New Orleans at #9 also being a possibility. It makes sense. Las Vegas’ best option right now is a 33-year-old Raheem Mostert. New Orleans knows Alvin Kamara turns 30 in July. Both teams need to think about the future at that position. Both have head coaches who like to run the ball. One thing is clear. A source told SM that those around the league believe one thing is certain.

“He likely won’t get passed Chicago if he falls that far.”

Ashton Jeanty is a strong probability for the Bears.

Whispers from Halas Hall indicate they love the Boise State star. It isn’t hard to see why. He nearly broke Barry Sanders’ single-season rushing record in 2024, nearly winning the Heisman in the process. The guy carried his team to the college football playoffs. He’s built like a brick house with power, speed, contact balance, and vision. There aren’t any truly glaring weaknesses in his game. He’s earned comparisons to the likes of LaDainian Tomlinson and Marshawn Lynch. The Bears haven’t had a back of that caliber since Matt Forte.

Try to imagine what this offense could look like with Ashton Jeanty, Rome Odunze, D.J. Moore, and Cole Kmet all as options for quarterback Caleb Williams. Throw all of it into Johnson’s offense, and you can understand why some people around the league aren’t wild about the idea. They are quietly hoping Jeanty goes somewhere else. One thing is certain. If he gets past the Raiders, the noise will get loud in a hurry. It would mark the first time in 20 years the Bears have taken a running back in the 1st round.