Terminally ill Tyrone woman to feature on Stacey Dooley documentary

A Tyrone lady with terminal cancer, is to feature on a new TV documentary with Stacey Dooley.

Mum-of-three Jemma McGowan was diagnosed with an advanced form of ovarian cancer last year with doctors giving her just a year to live.

However, determined not to give up, she raised more than £150,000 to fund immuno-therapy treatment at the Hope4Cancer centre in Cancun, Mexico.

Originally from Stewartstown but now living in Omagh, Jemma recently documented her cancer journey with Stacey Dooley in the latest series of Stacey Dooley Sleeps Over, welcoming the former Strictly Come Dancing contestant to her home for four days.

Just returned from her latest session of treatment in Mexico, Jemma admitted that filming the series was a “nerve wrecking” experience.

“Overall, it was really good, and it was an emotional weekend from Thursday to Sunday. But we really enjoyed making it. I’ve made some great friends out of it and whenever I first met her (Stacey) we really clicked. It turned out, we’re very alike. We laughed together and cried together.”

Jemma has also been recording her cancer journey through her Instagram account, @jemhow and has amassed over 20,000 followers.

“I don’t actually think it’s all sunk in yet, I genuinely cried when Stacey was leaving,” Jemma continued.

“She opened my heart and mind to things I hadn’t yet considered or planned or thought about.”

“She is such an amazing person. The kids just loved having her stay too.”

The series is due for broadcast on the W TV channel in April. It is described as, “An uncompromising look at modern life, behind the doors of some of Britain’s more unconventional households, with people leading lifestyles that some others might judge”.

Speaking about her recent trip to Mexico for treatment, Jemma added, “So far it’s all very promising. The goal was to get another prescription… but I’m doing much better than expected.

“I was given a year to live last May but I’m not going anywhere this May.

“I’ve been doing really well on the immuno-therapy in Mexico. it’s a case of so far so good.

“I’m generally the picture of health and I have no complaints.”