FRIENDS of young West Belfast woman, who passed away in 2019, have produced a moving dance tribute to raise awareness of stem cell donation.
Aspiring dance teacher Eimear Gooderham (née Smyth) was diagnosed with Hodgkin’s Lymphoma, a type of blood cancer, in September 2016. After finding a stem cell donor match, Eimear successfully underwent a transplant in November 2018, but sadly passed in June 2019 following complications.
Her former peers and teachers at St Louise's Comprehensive College this week published a video tribute, choreographed and shot in December 2021 to raise money and awareness for the eponymously named Eimear's Wish charity.
The initiative, which was spearheaded by Eimear's teacher Marie Mannion, raised an incredible £1,400 for the charity.
Eimear's dad, Sean Smyth, hailed those involved in the event.
"All the girls who were there danced with Eimear, so they all got together to do a day of dance in memory of Eimear," he said.
"Marie put them through their paces and it was a difficult enough routine. It was just their way of saying they remember Eimear and that they miss her. We all do.
"Eimear's whole desire in life was to come back and be a teacher of dance in St Louise's and she was on the path to do that. She loved the school and the school loved her."
Eimear studied Modern and Contemporary Dance at Leeds and was intent on doing a PGCE after her graduation. Sean said that, after she was diagnosed with blood cancer, "she never got to fulfil her dream".
He said the dance tribute to Eimear was "done with love".
"The whole point of it was that it was a fun and joyous day," he said.
"Many of them hadn't danced in 10 years and they just loved it. They're all going to get back together at the end of the month and watch the videos, go out and have dinner, and have another good night. They are just the most beautiful young ladies you ever met in your life."
She added: "Eimear would've loved it – it was such an honour."
