'She had a massive heart': Heartbroken family urges mental health help after death of Chesterfield woman aged 20

Kyra Jacques-Pickering died on October 2 after a two-year struggle with depression and low moods.

However her family says she had shown signs of suffering with the illness while still a young schoolgirl.

They are now urging others battling with poor mental health to seek help from charities which can give support for the condition.

Speaking about Kyra’s death, her aunt Lyn Pickering said: “We don’t want Kyra just to be another statistic – we want something good to come from her death.”

Former Outwood Academy Newbold student Kyra grew up in Chesterfield before moving to Worksop aged 18.

The “bright” youngster achieved very good A-Level grades and had already secured a place at university.

However, she then discovered she was pregnant with son Theo, aged 1, and put her university course on hold to care for the infant.

Mum Lorette Pickering said: “During that time her mental health got a lot worse so she didn’t end up going to uni.

“She never stopped, she had that much energy but then she’d have two or three days when she wouldn’t sleep."

Describing her daughter, Lorette said: “She had a massive heart, she used to help people who didn’t deserve her. She wouldn’t see anybody upset.

“Everybody she met, they all fell in love with her. She was just that sort of girl. She had loads of friends.”

Kyra, who worked at Fat Pig BBQ in Chesterfield, was involved in dance and singing from a young age and attended Chesterfield Wallace Dance Academy.

She attended The Georgia Bird Foundation choir every Wednesday and was a member of numerous churches around Chesterfield, including Littlemore Gospel Chapel.

Speaking about her daughter's faith, Lorette said: “She took herself off one Sunday and got herself Christened. We didn’t know until she came back and showed us the video.

"She went and did it all off her own back. It gave her a lot of comfort and she loved all of her church families and they all loved her.”

Kyra was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes aged six, however she took responsibility for managing the condition even as a child.

Lorette said: “She’s always been clever – by he time she was one year old she was out of nappies and walking, she’s always been a very, very bright girl.

“The diabetes diagnosis was a big thing for her to take on but she had mastered that within three days.

"She could inject her own insulin and do her own blood sugars – she was so clever.

"She wanted to drive, so when she go to 16 her stepdad suggested she take motorbike lessons and she did it and passed first time.

"She passed her driving test first time as well.”

As well as son Theo, Lorette and Lyn, Kyra leaves behind her dad Keiron, step-dad Craig, grandmother Deron, grandfather Bob, four sisters, a stepsister, two step-brothers, foster family Dawn and Nigel, two foster brothers and two sisters along with aunt, uncles, cousins and friends.

Her funeral service takes place at Chesterfield Crematorium on December 1 at 3.50pm.

Kyra’s family urges anyone struggling with mental health problems to seek help from charities such as MIND.