It is with immense sadness and disbelief that I have to inform you that Gemma lost her long and hard but brave and courageous battle on Sunday morning.

She's been an inspiration to many - including me. She gave strength to those who are in her situation, she gave perspective to all of us who are lucky enough to be healthy.

She had just turned 25 when she was first diagnosed - while pregnant. Imagine you're a healthy 25-year-old woman, full of life, beautiful inside and out and you're expecting. You are living your happiest days... and from one day to the next everything changes. What follows are five years of grueling uncertainty, constant fear and darkness. All of a sudden you are in the middle of a battle you never knew was yours.

But Gemma stood up to the challenges she faced. After all, she had a baby girl who needed her mummy. And despite all her suffering, she never let her illness get in the way of her love for her daughter. Penelope always came first. Always. Gemma was a mother in the truest sense of the word. Selfless, dependable, loving and so caring. She gladly put on a smile for her daughter despite what she constantly must have felt inside. A feeling, her mother Helen only knows too well. :-(

And Gemma was adamant she'd continue to be there for Penelope. Her determination was for everyone to see in the interview she gave to ITV back in June 2017. She said: "I couldn't make myself more positive in my mind that I WILL be able to see Penelope leave school, leave primary school, start high school and leave it." And in that very interview she also let us feel her sadness and her fear when she said she wanted to "be able to spend more time with her and go on holiday with her." The tone in her voice, the look in her eyes... just so emotional.

Gemma wanted to live. She kept fighting. She never gave up, she always found a way to motivate herself. She was a true warrior. So she beat this hideous disease once more. And at times we all thought there'd be a happy end, but ...

The last two months quickly became unbearable. Setback after setback. Nothing was working anymore. Not even immunotherapy she was finally receiving at The Christie. Gemma's body became too weak. Her family had to watch her deteriorate in front of their eyes. The end was approaching. That hopelessness... maybe the worst of all feelings.

Our consolation now has to be that she is not suffering any more. She is no longer in pain. From now on she will be Penelope's guardian angel, watching over her.

My cousin said something the other day I do take comfort in, she said: "There is probably a good reason we don't know what's on the other side. Otherwise there'd be no people left here on earth!!" I just hope she is right.

And Gemma being Gemma ... In my previous updates, I told you about Gemma's last wish. Her family are now forming the Gemma Rose Foundation - together with the incredible Kate Winslet - so they can help other young parents who are going through similar pain. (I will send an update with details once I have them.)

Gemma may be gone now, but her legacy will remain forever.

I would like to come to an end by quoting her one more time:
"This was my baby and I wanted to save her life. She saved mine in the first place, because I had no symptoms and wouldn't have had a scan."

Gemma was just 29. In three weeks, on the 7th of November, she would have turned 30 :-(

I would like to thank everyone who has kept Gemma in their prayers and everyone who has supported her all this time. And I could never leave out Kate Winslet. I told you this before Kate, but again, thank you so so much for what you did for Gemma. Thank you for not looking the other way when you found out about her. You tried, that's what matters most.

A special "thank you" goes to Gemma's friends who cheered her up in difficult times. You were there for her when she needed you the most. This can never be rated highly enough.

Thoughts are now with Gemma's mother Helen - who was with her daughter every step of the way - with Gemma's daughter Penelope, her brother Andrew, her entire family, Penelope's dad Alex and his family, Gemma's friends and loved ones.

This wasn't supposed to happen.

Sleep tight beautiful Gemma, you will be sorely missed.

Many hearts are broken now. Including mine. Forever.

Oktay

(I am truly sorry for the delay of this very sad update. I honestly tried, but couldn't do it before. It was just too hard. Forgive me.)