‘Eimear’s last wish’ to continue stem cell donor campaign
The father of a young woman who beat cancer only to tragically pass away due to complications is urging more people to join the donor register.
Eimear Gooderham was diagnosed with cancer in 2016 and featured on UTV as part of a campaign to get more people signed to become stem cell donors.
The 25-year-old has helped to increase the number of people joining the donor register in Northern Ireland by 2,600%.
Last year following a huge response to her family's campaign - a vital stem cell match from an anonymous donor was found.
Despite the transplant being a success, Eimear passed away last Thursday.
Her father Sean Smyth told UTV: “Eimear beat cancer, but she was so unlucky she was allergic to one of the anti-rejection drugs.
“She was only the fifth person in the whole of Ireland in 17 years for this to happen and because of the complications from that she didn’t survive.
“But she beat the cancer and it was because someone was good enough to give her a stem cell transplant.”
Eimear and her fiance Philip were due to wed in October, but knowing time was short brought their wedding forward, becoming Mr and Mrs Gooderham on 20 June.
Eimear died a week later and was laid to rest on Saturday - unable to walk his daughter down the aisle at her wedding - Sean did so at her funeral which was a celebration of her life.
“She was so adamant, she says 'Daddy please, people have got to understand the stem cell transplant worked for me. Please make sure the word gets out,” he said.
For help & support and to find out how to become a stem cell donor and what it involves: