A MUM who has been diagnosed with terminal cancer has been overwhelmed by the support from family, friends and the local community in the early days of her diagnosis.
Mum-of-four Emma Jemmah, from Barry, has been diagnosed with a rare form of cancer and has been given a maximum of one year left. This heart-breaking diagnosis has led to worry over what would happen to her four children and the cost of paying for her funeral.
Emma Jemmah is a fun-loving mum-of-four from Barry who has been diagnosed with terminal cancer
“No one wants to leave their children in debt with funeral costs and they’re not even old enough to have debt,” said Ms Jemmah.
But luckily for Ms Jemmah, she has family and friends and the local community ready to help. Ms Jemmah said of the support she has received: “They’re doing an incredible job. If it wasn’t for them, I don’t know what I’d be doing.”
Emma's four children clockwise from top: Smyler, Morwen, Lorenzo and Francis
Ms Jemmah’s friends and former work colleagues Lianne Davie and Alina Eveleigh set up a fundraising page with the hope to help provide Ms Jemmah and her children Morwen, 17, Francis, 16, Smyler, 14 and two-year-old Lorenzo, along with grandson Kian, 15 months, with the chance to make some memories while Ms Jemmah is well enough. They also aim to raise funds to help with funeral costs and the legal costs of arranging for Ms Jemmah’s sister Amanda Pratt to have guardianship for the children – which Ms Jemmah has been quoted will cost “thousands.”
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Within 24 hours of the fundraiser being set up, they had already surpassed an early target of £600 and have had a caravan holiday in Porthcawl arranged for next week for the family, before Ms Jemmah begins chemotherapy on December 1 to hopefully prolong her life further.
Ms Eveleigh came up with the idea for the fundraising page and Ms Davie set it up online. Speaking to the Barry and District News, Ms Davie said: “She had the diagnosis last week after investigations. Emma said she knew she had cancer but didn’t know it would be terminal.
“She wanted to take the kids away before she becomes more ill and she was not expecting to have a funeral to pay for, or the legal fees to ensure the children are looked after. The family don't have the funds to be able to pay for all of this themselves."
Ms Jemmah also thanked her friend Sharon who has been a huge help with looking after young Lorenzo during hospital appointments and when she has needed to rest.
The type of cancer that Ms Jemmah has been diagnosed with is usually seen in women over the age of 60. “My doctors were shocked as its so rare in someone my age.”
The single mum has spent her life raising her children and working to care for and support adults with learning disabilities but is now facing an uncertain time after the cancer has spread from her ovaries to her stomach and she hopes that she can put everything necessary in place while she is still well enough to look after her affairs to make sure that her children are looked after.
To make a donation, you can visit https://www.gofundme.com/f/emma-jammeh-the-holiday-of-memories?utm_source=customer&utm_campaign=p_cp+share-sheet&utm_medium=copy_link_all
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