British Emmy was only 11 years old when she met 13-year-old Jake. The young man lived just across the border in Wales and went to the same high school as Emmy. Soon the two became best friends and did many things together.

It took five years for the two to realize their feelings for each other, and their friendship turned into a relationship. “When we were 16, we finally had the courage to express our feelings to each other,” said Emmy.

 

End of relationship

“We were a couple for three years.” Despite their love for each other, the relationship failed. Emmy went to college, while Jake packed his bags and went off to travel the wide world.

They loved each other unconditionally, but nevertheless, they both decided to put an end to their relationship. So, the two lost sight of each other …

 

No contact

Once Jake traveled around Australia, he was so happy that he decided to settle there for a while. He and Emmy had no contact for about 10 years.

But when Jake returned to Wales, he wanted to see and to speak to Emmy again. So, he sent her an email. The two — neither of whom were in relationships at the time — decided to have a drink and spend a pleasant evening together.

 

No longer without each other

As soon as the two childhood sweethearts saw each other again, the fire between them began to rekindle. They knew from that moment on, they absolutely no longer wanted to live without each other.

In high school, Jake had written his feelings in a letter to Emmy: “You are my everything. One day I will marry you. ” And that turned out to prophetic, because about six months after their reunion, he had a surprise in store for Emmy …

 

Marriage proposal

During a vacation in the Philippines, Jake got down on one knee and asked Emmy to marry him. The happy Emmy said yes to his proposal. Both saw a future together.

However, the happiness they were enjoying soon gave way to panic. When Jake wanted to give Emmy a neck massage a few days after the marriage proposal, he made a terrible discovery …

 

A terrible discovery

The romantic journey suddenly took a completely different turn. While Jake rubbed his girlfriend’s neck with his hands, he discovered that she had a  thick lump under her skin. It would change their lives forever.

“It was a beautiful, sunny day. We were at the beach, and I immediately felt that something was wrong when I wanted to give her a neck massage,” Jake said.

 

A devastating diagnosis

“I immediately asked Emmy why she hadn’t said anything to me and said that we had to go back to the doctor quickly to get her checked.” So, that was what they did. He immediately sent her to the hospital where she underwent all kinds of examinations.

Then came the devastating diagnosis: Emmy had a rare form of thyroid cancer. And the disease had already spread to several places: her spine, lungs, liver, and bones.

 

Incurable illness

This meant that the doctors could no longer do anything for Emmy, as she was incurably ill. A sad time began. Jake and Emmy had finally found each other again and thought they were heading toward a happy future.

However, that dream was destroyed in an instant: Now they only had a limited time together.

“She had had complaints for some time, but she couldn’t locate where they came from,” Jake said …

 

Complaints

Emmy had been feeling tired for a long time, often had diarrhea, and suffered from muscle pain. Unfortunately, she had been dealing with these complaints for too long, and now, nothing could be done for her.

Emmy had already been to the doctor with her problems but had not been taken seriously at the time. Emmy said, “It was dismissed as irritable bowel syndrome, norovirus, or stress.”

 

Get everything out of life

Emmy said about previous visits to the doctor, “I thought that was remarkable, certainly because I had been doing fitness for a long time and even attended a few marathons. I knew for sure that something else was going on. But yes, there was nothing wrong with my blood tests and the ultrasound of my belly also looked normal. Eventually, I started to think that I was imagining it all.”

And that is why the diagnosis hit her twice as hard. So, together with Jake, Emmy decided she would get everything out of the life that was left to her.

 

A tough reality

“Cancer may have been in my body for two years.” Emmy decided to fight the disease and Jake was going to fully help and support her in that. How long she had left to live was uncertain, though it was likely a few years at most.

Despite the terrible diagnosis, the couple continued to have fun and laugh, as can be seen in pictures of the two. Unfortunately, behind their smiling faces, their harsh reality was present at all times.

 

Stay positive

Emmy wanted to stay positive, anyway. She enjoyed everything even more and tried to live as normally as possible.

“There is only one cure for my type of thyroid cancer: a drug that didn’t even exist five years ago. I can’t be healed with it, but it will probably slow down the disease.”

 

Enjoy together

Emmy: “A lot of people ask me how I can handle this emotionally. Maybe I am naive or I refuse to face the truth, but I just try not to think about it.”

“I have Jake on my side again and I am very grateful for that. We can’t help it, so we can just as well enjoy our time together.”

 

Guilty

“The only thing that really annoys me is the reaction from people I love. They are all so sad, which makes me feel so guilty,” said Emmy.

“What hit me even harder than the cancer itself was the news that I could never have children. I always wanted to be a mom later on, but it would be too heavy a burden on my body.”

 

Fertility treatment

Emmy: “Nevertheless, I would like to try it in one way or another. That’s why I postponed chemotherapy for fertility treatment. Nine embryos could be frozen from my eggs and his sperm, which could later be implanted in a surrogate mother.”

This way, Emmy hoped to become a mother before she died of cancer.

 

More awareness

Emmy: “I find it frightening that I had had the cancer in my body for so long, without knowing it myself. If I had discovered it earlier, my future would probably have looked very different. That’s why I think it’s very important to show people that your life does not have to be over with cancer. I now realize how precious every day is, you have to enjoy every moment.”

 

The best medicine

Emmy: “Believe it or not, but I am happier than ever. It is not normal how much love and affection I get from Jake, my friends, and my family. They are there for me every time I need them. Love is without a doubt the best medicine, and I am overwhelmed by it. I have always told all my loved ones that they should not see a sick person when they look at me.”

 

Disappointing results

Unfortunately, as time went on, Emmy ended up at the Royal Marsden Hospital in London. She was well cared for there but often received disappointing results.

Emmy became weaker and weaker and needed more and more treatments. Yet, she managed to boost herself up enough for her big day: her wedding with her dream man, Jake.

 

The big day

Despite the fact that Emmy was in the middle of cancer treatments, it did not stand in the way of her marriage. She wanted to marry her prince on a white horse. And it happened. It was a day to remember.

After the big day, it was all downhill for Emmy.  But she felt that — especially in recent years — she had made everything out of life. She had traveled a lot with Jake, gotten married, and enjoyed it all.

 

Her wish to have children

However, one wish had not yet been fulfilled: her desire to have children. Jake: “Emmy couldn’t have a baby during chemo, because it would be harmful to the fetus, but she wouldn’t accept that to be the final say.”

“That is why we had embryos frozen. That kept her going for a long time. Even when the tumor made her feel very bad.”

 

The pregnancy test

Right before Emmy’s death, a surrogate mother was found. Thirty-two-year-old Liz was a former school friend who was willing to make Emmy’s last wish come true. “She was destined to be a mother and I wanted to give her that chance,” said Liz.

When one of the embryos was introduced to Liz, Emmy was present as well. She was very weak but did not want to miss this moment. Three weeks later, there was a pregnancy test …

 

In waiting

Jake: “We were sitting around the table in excitement. Then we saw the test turn positive. We were all glad it worked.”

“However, Emmy was having a hard time and less than an hour later, she could barely keep her eyes open. She had no energy left. After that, she never fully recovered.”

 

A clear moment

It was as if Emmy had been working just for that moment before she stepped out of life. All her wishes had been fulfilled … During her last trip home from the hospital, Emmy was suddenly very aware of the fact that she would never hold her baby in her arms.

“She looked at me and said, ‘I will never see our baby, will I?’ I lied and answered, ‘You never know.’ Then she fell asleep again,” says Jake.

 

A child

The last two weeks of her life, Emmy was unconscious almost all the time. Then, she woke up a week before she died.

“She asked me whether I thought she was dying. It was heartbreaking that I had to answer ‘yes.’ It was the first time I saw my wife, who had always been positive and brave, breaking, being scared and crying when she lay there. She eventually died peacefully, knowing that she had given me a child. ” ❤️