A "wonderful" mum who was the "light in so many people's lives" tragically died the day after her wedding. Gemeila Howard, also known as Gemma, passed away from cancer on Saturday 23 April at Willowbrook Hospice.
The 39-year-old had been set to undergo a major surgery to prolong her life after being diagnosed with oesophageal cancer back in 2019.
However as doctors then found she had a Krukenberg tumour - a rare tumour that grows in the ovaries - and gave her just three months left to live.After being given the devastating news, Gemeila decided to tie the knot to her long term partner Antony Howard straight away.
Their friend Sean Brien told the ECHO : "They got married on the Friday and she died on Saturday night. It was an amazing day it really was." Sean and friend David McAleny walked Gemeila down the aisle and gave her away on her wedding day - in a moment which he described as "the biggest honour of my life." A fundraising page has now been set up to support Gemeila's husband Antony and their daughter Freya, aged nine, and help to give her "the best send off." Paying tribute to Gemeila, Sean said: "Mela was a life long friend who I will miss every second of every day.
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