StemCell Therapy

An emotional programme is set to air about West Belfast woman Eimear Gooderham who passed away in 2019.

She sadly died after undergoing a stem cell transplant as part of her cancer treatment.

UTV presenter Sarah Clarke first met Eimear back in 2018 when, with she and her family made a desperate appeal for more people to join the stem cell register.

This was Eimear's only hope, after the return of her cancer and her family members not being a match.

Sarah kept in touch with the family and, when a match was found, Eimear recorded video diaries charting her treatment in Dublin to be incorporated into a UTV programme about her journey.

Whilst the transplant itself was successful, Eimear sadly suffered complications from the treatment and passed away.

Eimear's Wish tells her story, much of it in her own words from extracts from her video diary.

Her Dad Sen and sister Seinn, share memories of Eimear, give their perspectives on what happened, talking about the positive ways they have been dealing with their grief since she passed away.

A consultant haematologist also gives an insight into the impact of stem cell transplants, and of the hope that this type of surgery can offer, with Sean reiterating that Eimear's Wish is to have more people sign up to the donor register.

Sen said: We hope the programme will highlight the need for more people in Northern Ireland to join the stem cell donor register, especially young men aged between 16 and 30.

"They produce more and stronger stem cells than any other group, and crucially they dont get pregnant, as women cant donate stem cells during pregnancy and for 12 months afterwards. There is also a lack of age-appropriate care for teenagers and young adults with life threatening illnesses such as blood cancer.

"The current facilities and the environment in which our teenagers and young adults receive their treatment and care is very poor. There also needs to be better facilities for the childrens carers.

Sarah added: It was Eimears dying wish to raise awareness of stem cell donation and to help further research into the treatment to help others. And although this programme is an entirely different one from the one we set out to make, I hope that it will in some way help to do that.

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We at UTV are very grateful that Eimear herself, before her death, and Sen and Seinn, despite their grief, shared so much in the making of the programme creating a positive and lasting legacy in this remarkable young woman's memory."

Watch Up Close Eimears Wish on UTV on Thursday 28th January at 10.45pm and on catch up HERE.

View post:
West Belfast woman to be remembered in special TV documentary - Belfast Live

This entry was posted on January 29, 2021 at 2:55 am and is filed under Death by Stem Cells. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed. |