UTV is set to air an emotional documentary that tells the story of West Belfast woman Eimear Gooderham (neé Smyth), who passed away in 2019, aged 25, after undergoing a stem cell transplant as part of her cancer treatment.

Eimear was diagnosed with stage two Hodgkin’s Lymphoma, a type of blood cancer, in September 2016. After finding a stem cell donor match, Eimear underwent a transplant in November 2018, but sadly passed away following complications last year.

Throughout her illness, the young Coolnasilla woman fought to raise awareness of stem cell donation alongside her family, who established the Eimear’s Wish campaign to continue her work.

UTV presenter Sarah Clarke first met Eimear back in 2018 when she and her family made an appeal for more people to join the stem cell register after the return of her cancer. Sarah kept in touch with the family and, when a match was found, Eimear recorded video diaries charting her treatment in Dublin to be incorporated into a UTV programme about her journey. 

Whilst the transplant itself was successful, Eimear sadly suffered complications from the treatment and passed away.  With the family's permission and consequent cooperation, ‘Eimear's Wish’ tells her story, much of it in her own words from extracts from her video diary.

Her Dad Seán and sister Seáinín share memories of Eimear, give their perspectives on what happened, talking about the positive ways they have been dealing with their grief since she passed away.

A consultant haematologist also gives an insight into the impact of stem cell transplants, and of the hope that this type of surgery can offer, with Seán reiterating that Eimear's Wish is to have more people sign up to the donor register.

Speaking ahead of the documentary screening, Seán said: “We hope the programme will highlight the need for more people in Northern Ireland to join the stem cell donor register, especially young men aged between 16 and 30.  They produce more and stronger stem cells than any other group, and crucially they don’t get pregnant, as women can’t donate stem cells during pregnancy and for 12 months afterwards.

“There is also a lack of age-appropriate care for teenagers and young adults with life threatening illnesses such as blood cancer. The current facilities and the environment in which our teenagers and young adults receive their treatment and care are very poor. There also needs to be better facilities for the children’s carers.”

Sarah added: “It was Eimear’s dying wish to raise awareness of stem cell donation and to help further research into the treatment to help others. And although this programme is an entirely different one from the one we set out to make, I hope that it will in some way help to do that. We at UTV are very grateful that Eimear herself, before her death, and Seán and Seáinín, despite their grief, shared so much in the making of the programme creating a positive and lasting legacy in this remarkable young woman's memory.”

Watch ‘Up Close – Eimear’s Wish’ on UTV tonight, Thursday, January 28 at 10.45pm.