Jemma bound for Mexico as fundraising exceeds £150,000

BRAVE Omagh woman Jemma McGowan will travel to Mexico in early June after raising more than double the amount of money initially required for her treatment.

Mother of three Jemma will travel to the Hope4Cancer treatment centre in Mexico along with husband Clive and her three children, after a devastating ovarian cancer diagnosis limited her treatment options in the UK.

The total amount raised on Jemma’s GoFundMe page so far is over £150,000, while dozens of local companies and organisations have organised separate fundraisers for her and her family.

The 27-year-old, who is originally from Stewartstown, was given just one year to live after being diagnosed with a rare form of ovarian cancer shortly after the birth of her third child Betty.

The consultant team at the treatment centre has approved Jemma’s treatment plan, with travel plans for her, Clive, Sadie (4), Louis (1) and 16-week old Sadie being finalised for the first week of June.

“We are pre-booked to fly to London on June 6 and then to Mexico on the 7th. I have minor surgery in Belfast on Monday so we need to get that out of the way first, but apart from that everything is ready to go,” said Jemma.

“I’m going to be getting 10 different treatments.

“There are seven that everyone gets when they go there but because mine is a wee bit more complicated there are a few additional ones I have to get.

“Every day I’m speaking to the administration team of the doctors and they are keeping me updated with arrangements there. I probably have them absolutely tortured.

“I’m so nervous, but I think it’s because it’s all happening so much faster than what we ever would have expected. But I’m following my heart and my heart is telling me this is the right decision.”

Jemma paid tribute to the local community who have rallied around her during such a difficult period for her and her family.

She said, “In Dungannon where I went to school there’s a raffle with over 50 businesses involved. In Stewartstown where I grew up there’s another big barbecue and raffle.

“The support from local businesses and people has just been absolutely amazing and the fundraising is still going on.”

Jemma added, “We are just in shock at how everyone has supported me in my fight for my life. The massive amount raised has allowed me to get the wheels in motion with Hope4Cancer in Mexico much quicker than I had previously ever thought possible.”