A DEVOTED teacher, supportive friend, loving sister and daughter.

That is how the family of Lisa Woods today remembered the 36-year-old after she lost her five-year battle with a brain tumour.

The Castle Hill Junior School teacher died peacefully at Handford House Nursing Home on Saturday.

Speaking from their home in Nacton Road, her parents Sue and Brian Woods and sister Katie, 21, paid heartfelt tributes to Lisa.

“She was full of life,” said Mrs Woods. “You always knew when she was around, she was so bubbly.”

Having started her teaching career at Murrayfield Primary School in Ipswich – the school she attended as a youngster – Lisa took the opportunity to travel, leaving to teach in Santiago, Chile in August 2006.

Eleven months later, after being taken ill in the South American country, doctors diagnosed Lisa’s brain tumour.

She was flown back to the UK straight away to start radiotherapy treatment at Ipswich Hospital.

Within a year, Mrs Woods said her daughter was back at work part-time.

Later securing a full-time job at Castle Hill Junior, Lisa led the school’s special needs programme.

After four good years, her disease returned last year and the former Holywells High School student underwent chemotherapy at Ipswich Hospital’s Somersham Ward.

Mrs Woods added: “The chemo worked but at Easter she was taken ill again and they found it had progressed. They tried chemo again but it didn’t work.

“Gradually she went downhill.”

Mr Woods heaped praised on the staff at Handford House Nursing Home and Ipswich Hospital who cared for his daughter.

“They were all fantastic, we are so grateful,” he said.

“Dr Podd, the consultant oncologist at the hospital is an amazing man, he was brilliant,” added his wife.

Lisa’s funeral is taking place next Wednesday at Seven Hills Crematorium at 12.45pm.

Her family have asked that people donate to Ipswich Hospital’s Somersham Ward Support Group in her memory.

LIsa also leaves behind her brother Darren, 38.

Pay tribute to Lisa. E-mail: starnews@archant.co.uk