A terminally ill bride-to-be tragically died of cancer a fortnight before their fairytale wedding.
Mother of one child Gemma McGowan, 29, of Paisley, was about to tie the knot with sweetheart Steven Murie on June 11 after a fundraiser raised thousands.
But unfortunately she passed away on Wednesday.
Gemma had a very rare cancer of the nasal cavity and only got a few months to live after being diagnosed with squamous cell carcinoma in May last year.
Despite months of treatments, including radiation therapy, immunotherapy, and life-changing surgeries that required surgeons to remove her eye, she and her partner were heartbroken told that nothing could be done.
Gemma McGowan with her mother Lorraine McGowan
(Image: Paisley Daily Express)
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On the subject of matching items
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On the subject of matching items
Due to the condition of Gemma, the wedding was brought forward from next year and Wedding Wish Makers urged retailers to offer the full range of services from wedding cars to outfits for the bridesmaids.
They managed to secure a three-tier cake, piper, and humanist celebrant, and a total of nearly £ 3,800 was donated to pay for the ceremony at the Dalmeny Park Hotel in Barrhead and other fees.
Wedding wish-makers announced Gemma’s death on Facebook and said: “We write these words with a heavy heart, but unfortunately Gemma passed away yesterday.
“Our thoughts are with Steven, Arran and all of their friends and family at this difficult time.
Suzanne Stevenson, left, and Lauren Roy-Sutherland of Wedding Wish Makers
(Image: Suzanne Stevenson)
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On the subject of matching items
Gemma’s mother, Lorraine McGowan, previously shared how her daughter struggled with “incredible strength and bravery”.
She said, “It was so hard to see how she’s going through what she’s got.
“I don’t know how she dealt with it, but she was so strong through it all.”
It was only a month after Gemma told her family that she was pregnant, that she had problems with tearing her eyes.
After visiting the optician, Gemma was told it was likely a blocked tear duct and was referred to the ophthalmologist.
After her first appointment was canceled at the start of the pandemic in March, she was eventually seen and diagnosed with a blocked tear duct.
However, Gemma’s condition continued to deteriorate over the following weeks, and the swelling became so severe that her eye had moved completely to one side.
At that point, doctors ordered scans of her eye and discovered the tumor.
The fundraiser money will now go to Steven and the couple’s baby, Arran.
