A newlywed body builder and bikini model who died after a two-year cancer battle has posted a tragic Facebook message from beyond the grave – stunning her family and the husband she married on her deathbed.
In the heartbreaking Facebook post, which opens with the tear-jerking sentence ‘if this is being posted it means I have finally died’, body building queen Gemma Sisson, 39, told friends and family members ‘she was finally at peace’.
The gym-fanatic, from Leeds, West Yorkshire, also told friends and family members she was ‘heartbroken to leave everyone behind’.
But she added that she hoped her death would serve as a warning to other sufferers to get themselves checked out even if they think they have beaten cancer.
Gemma and personal trainer and gym boss Ricky had been together for 16 happy years and attended body building events around the world
The emotional post appeared on Gemma’s Facebook wall after he death on Wednesday
Gemma was first diagnosed with pelvic cancer in April 2018 and underwent weeks of gruelling radiotherapy and a year of aftercare
But just one month after being given the all-clear in July 2019, NHS doctors discovered that the disease had returned and spread to her spine, liver and stomach.
Her life partner Ricky Moore revealed the pair got married in May after being given special permission to hold a ceremony by the hospice where she spent her last weeks.
Gemma died peacefully in her new husband’s arms on Wednesday – four days after the couple shared a ‘two month anniversary’ takeaway at the hospice from one of her favourite restaurants.
Just hours after her death on Wednesday afternoon, her friends and family were stunned when a defiant post appeared on her social media account.
She married her life partner Ricky Moore in May at the hospice where she spent her final weeks
It said: ‘If this is being posted it means I’ve finally died after weeks of clinging on far too long.
‘Although I’ll be heartbroken to leave behind all my loved ones I’ll be so glad to get away from what this b*****d disease has left me as.
‘I really hope that by sharing my cancer story and petitioning for secondary cancers scans to be made mandatory I’ve made a positive impact, and even if only 1 person gets some help from this then I will feel like I have accomplished something good.
‘I really can’t thank Rick enough who has been by side all the way and given me an amazing amount of love and support throughout this horrific time.
‘I want all my loved ones to know that the pain and suffering has now stopped and I am now finally at peace.
‘I am also grateful for all the support I have received from all of my followers on social media.
‘If anyone is going to take anything from this, it is that life is short and that we all think these sort of things will never happen to us.
‘Well I thought that, and let me tell you now, this could happen to anyone of you reading this.
Body building queen Gemma Sisson, 39, from Leeds, West Yorkshire, wrote how she hopes her death will serve as a warning to other sufferers to get themselves checked out even if they think they have beaten cancer.
She married her life partner Ricky Moore (pictured together) four days after being admitted to the hospice where she spent her last weeks
‘So live your life to the fullest, dont take anything or anyone for granted because non of us really know what is around the corner.
‘But I am definitely glad that my time is now up, see you on the flip side mother f******!’
Gemma was first diagnosed in April 2018 after discovering a marble-sized lump on her groin while on holiday in 2017. At first, doctors back home diagnosed it as an ingrown hair.
Gemma pictured in June 2018 a few days after finishing her treatment
Months later she returned to her GP as the lump had grown, but was informed once again it was nothing to worry about.
But in March 2018 the lump was the size of an egg and had become painful, so Gemma went to A&E.
Further tests the following month revealed it was stage 3 cancer in four of her lymph nodes in her pelvis.
Speaking at the time of her diagnosis, she said: ‘I felt super healthy, had no weight loss or change in appetite, I wasnt feeling run-down or anything.
‘I was so confident it was nothing serious I went on my own to get the results of the biopsy, and even when I was told I didn’t take it in properly.
‘It was only when they mentioned chemo and radiotherapy that I realised what it meant.’
Gemma then underwent weeks of gruelling radiotherapy and a year of aftercare.
She was fortunate throughout her treatment to be able to keep up some level of training, which she said was ‘a huge help mentally and physically’ with dealing with the ordeal.
It looked as if she had beaten the disease when she was given the all clear in January 2019.
Just months later, in March that last year, Gemma began experiencing back pain, however she refused to let it stop her climb Mount Snowdon in May to raise money for the Leeds cancer unit where she was treated.
In March 2019, Gemma began experiencing back pain, however she refused to let it stop her climb Mount Snowdon in May
Gemma, pictured competing in a bikini fitness competition, died peacefully in her new husband’s arms on Wednesday
In July she underwent her usual scans, however they didn’t scan her whole body, which meant they missed the tumours which had begun to grow in her spine and caused her vertebrae to collapse.
Gemma was told she was progressing so well that her scans would go from being every three months to every 12 months – which could have proved catastrophic.
Luckily she was seeing a private physiotherapist for her neck and back pain, who advised her to have a private MRI scan done.
‘This is what picked up the tumours in my spine,’ she explained. ‘I had been to the GP, A&E and even a chiropractor with the pain, but he was the only one to realise the seriousness of the situation.
‘He worked at Leeds General Infirmary in the spinal injuries unit for several years, and I think he literally saved my life and stopped me being paralysed.’
She had a 10-hour operation to try and repair her spine where the cancer had taken hold.
Gemma underwent major surgery on her spine, which took seven hours, during which they removed the tumours and collapsed vertebrae and relieved pressure on her spinal cord
She had multiple treatments and scans until the end of 2019.
However one of the scans showed the tumours growing on her spine and in her stomach, and Gemma was dealt the heartbreaking blow that they were secondary cancer and incurable.
‘It was devastating,’ she said. ‘I had read the week before about how secondary cancer is rarely curable, so I did have an idea that this could be the outcome, but it was very hard news to hear.
In February 2020, a month after her 39th birthday, she was given the devastating news she had just months to live.
The cancer was too aggressive to be treated, and as it got worse Gemma was moved to the Sue Ryder Wheatfields Hospice in Leeds on April 13.
On admission, she told she had seven days to live, although she battled on for months.
Her partner Ricky revealed on Facebook the pair got married in May after being given special permission from the hospice.
He also broke the news of her death on his Facebook yesterday saying: #RIP to my Angel Mrs Bear
‘You died at 1.15PM today just as you had wished, which was to go peacefully in my arms, just the 2 of us with nobody else around. You are now finally at peace Gemma.
‘You were everything I ever needed or wanted all wrapped up in to 1 amazing human being.
‘You have been forever by my side since we met on 30/8/2004!
’16 years together my loved 1. And I will carry on loving you forever till the day I die.
‘A massive part of me is now broken that can never be repaired but I have made you a promise, which is that I am going to live every single minute of the rest of my life making you f***ing proud!!
‘And I know you’re going to be watching over my every move to make sure that I keep my promise!
‘I look forward to seeing you on the other side soon my princess, and you best have that strawberry Daiquiri ready for me.
‘Until we meet again my beautiful wife Mrs Gemma Sisson-Moore.’
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