THE family of an 18-year-old who died of cancer have thanked everyone "from the bottom of our broken hearts" one year on from setting up a charity in his name.

Jordan 'Giddo' Giddins, of Flint, was diagnosed with with hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis (HLH) at just 11-years-old.

Despite receiving a bone marrow transplant from his twin sister Beth in 2011, four years later Giddo was diagnosed with Ewings Sarcoma when a tennis ball-sized tumour was found on his rib cage.

He spent 150 nights in hospital, received 48 blood transfusions, 10 hours of surgery and spent 10 weeks in America to fight the bone cancer.

Even through the most gruelling treatment, Giddo's family said he never complained and always put others before himself.

Giddo "fought until the end" but sadly lost his fight and died on April 27 last year.

To honour Giddo's special memory and selfless nature he showed until the end, his friends and family set up the charity Giddo’s Gift, which raises funds to buy equipment – such as laptops and games consoles – as well as trips away for teenagers and young adults suffering from cancer in North West England and North Wales.

This week, the family look back at what has been an emotional but eventful 12 month since launching Giddo's Gift.

In that time, the charity has hosted endless events including a cinema night, a football match, golf tournament, afternoon tea, Moel Famau walk, a formal ball, and one best friend, Ieuan Rowe, ran the London Marathon in his memory to raise funds.

Mum Mandy said she wanted to "thank everyone from the bottom of our broken hearts."

She said: "The last 12 months have been overwhelming, learning to live with heavy hearts and trying to cope with our grief. The charity has given us a purpose to carry on, to keep Jord's memory alive and help others going through this horrendous journey.

"Some days just getting out of bed and functioning is hard but knowing how much Jord was loved and how much we have had for the charity has helped us carry on."

This weekend marks one year of Giddo's Gift, when Mandy sat around with her heartbroken closest family and friends talking about Jordan and how she wanted to channel her grief into a charity in memory of her "precious boy."

She said: "The idea of a charity was embraced by all of them. A few nights after our decision I woke in the night with the name 'Giddo' which was Jord's nickname.

"He was such a gift to us but also he loved giving gifts so Giddo's Gift was formed.

"Jord lived life with a smile on his face no matter what he was going through, always putting others first. He taught us so much about living and crammed more into his life than most of us do in a lifetime.

"I am heartbroken, life will never ever be OK again, but I am also incredibly proud of having the privilege of being his mum. I know he is watching us helping others and giving us the strength to carry on.

"This last year the charity has grown from strength to strength with a fantastic team by my side working tirelessly despite their own grief.

"The whole community and beyond has offered us amazing support to ensure Jord's legacy lives on."

This support has enabled the charity to award 12 financial grants or wishes since January this year, and give out three bereavement grants.

An amazing £37,200 has been raised by the charity, and parents Mandy and Paul Giddins and sister Beth said they will continue to keep Jordan's memory alive through Giddo's Gift.