Emma was born at Musgrove Park Hospital, Taunton, on Friday 9th November 1973, the first of four children and sister to James, Edward and William. Aged five she attended her first school Original Infants in Taunton before the family moved and spent four enjoyable years in Mevagissey, Cornwall, between 1979 and 1983. Upon returning to Taunton Emma attended North Town junior school and then continued her education at Bishop Fox’s school at the old site on Kingston Road. Aged 16 Emma left school and began working for Social Services caring for adults with learning difficulties.
On 5th August 1995 Emma married Csjt Mark Isherwood a serving soldier with The Rifles. Emma and Mark lived in many army quarters in the UK and abroad. In 1997, while stationed in Cyprus, Megan the first of Emma and Mark’s three children was born. Beatrix followed in 2002 while Emma and Mark were stationed in Harrogate, and Madeline in 2006 during a period at Weeton Barracks, Blackpool.
A year later in 2007 Mark was shot while serving on Operation Telic in Iraq, but recovered fully and went on to serve on Operation Herrick in Afghanistan.
In 2008 Emma returned to Taunton with the girls and started a hairdressing course at Somerset College.
On the 1st March 2010 Emma attended a GP appointment for an examination of a wart like growth on the top of her thigh. The GP initially concluded that the growth was non malignant but sent samples for further testing to confirm. Shortly after while in Musgrove Park Hospital for a hysterectomy, Emma was contacted by her GP and informed that the results showed a malignant melanoma and that surgery would be necessary.
On the 22nd March Emma was admitted to the Royal Devon & Exeter Hospital for an operation to remove the cancer from her thigh and two lymph nodes. Several months later Emma was invited to join an Avastin trial for cancer patients at the Macmillan Unit in Yeovil Hospital. The trial commenced on the 10th May 2010 and ran for 11 months to April 2011. During this difficult and challenging period Emma completed her Level 2 hairdressing course at Somerset College achieving distinctions in 8 out of 11 units, and received a special award from the college acknowledging her determination.
In July and August, 3 months after completing the Avastin trial, Emma had follow up checks and a scan at the Beacon Centre in Musgrove Hospital. On the 2nd September 2011 Emma received the terrible news that the cancer had returned and had spread to form a large tumour on and around her liver, plus a number of additional small tumours around her body. Emma’s oncologist at the Beacon Centre arranged for Emma to visit the Royal Marsden Hospital, London, on the 22nd September to confirm suitability for inclusion in a new trial that showed very good results in cancer sufferers. Unfortunately tests proved Emma had the wrong mutant gene and could therefore not participate in the trial.
The following month on the 6th October Emma began chemotherapy at the Beacon Centre using three different drugs. The effects left Emma very ill and so she remained in hospital for five days. Several weeks later on the 27th October Emma received her second bout of chemotherapy followed by a shorter two-day stay in hospital. However, two days after returning home she became ill and had to return to hospital for a further two day stay. Emma drove herself back from the hospital in her beloved black mini called ‘Marmaduke”, a further sign of her determination to continue life as normal. On the 17th November Emma had her third chemotherapy treatment using two drugs after which she stayed in hospital for only two days having felt considerably better than before.
On the 2nd December 2011 Emma saw Dr Barlow for the results of the body scan she had on the 29th November. The tumour had not reduced in size but had also not grown, findings that Dr Barlow suggested Emma could take heart from. Emma was offered a wig for her thinning hair but declined, and on the 5th December cut her hair very short. Further chemotherapy followed on the 8th December again followed by a two-day stay in hospital and with Emma very well in comparison to earlier treatments. A few weeks later on the 22 December at 6am Emma, accompanied by her dad, supported Mark on his fund raising run from Frenchay Hospital to the Beacon Centre to raise funds for Emma. The next day Emma returned to see Dr Barlow at the Beacon Centre for a routine pre chemotherapy check.
Between Christmas and New Year on the 29th December Emma received her fifth chemotherapy treatment, which went well and was followed by a two-day stay in hospital. On the 13th January Emma attended a routine pre chemotherapy check with Dr Barlow, which showed her blood levels to be low. As a result her sixth chemotherapy treatment, scheduled for the 18th January, was cancelled and Emma was admitted to the Beacon Centre for treatment for low blood levels where she remained until the 20th January. By the 23rd January Emma’s blood levels had recovered and she received her sixth chemotherapy treatment on the 26th followed by a two days hospital stay.
On the 3rd February Emma became very ill and was admitted at 6.15pm to MAU at Musgrove Park Hospital, where she stayed in the isolation room until 2.35pm on Sunday 5th February. On Thursday 9th February at 8.30pm Emma had a scan before seeing Dr Barlow on the 10th. The results showed that the liver tumour had shrunk. A month later on 4th March Emma was taken ill with very bad headaches and sickness. The next day on Monday 5th March at 10.15am, Emma visited her GP who informed her that the headaches were not related to the cancer.
That evening Emma had a very painful night and was therefore visited by her friend Dr Rhona Mann at 08.50am Tuesday at the request of Emma’s mum. Rhona arranged with her husband who was on duty at the Musgrove A & E department for Emma to be admitted immediately. Following examinations and a brain scan Emma’s family were informed that the cancer had spread to her brain and that this was the reason for the terrible headaches. Later that morning Emma was moved to the MAU ward before moving to room 8 of the Beacon Ward at 9.45pm that evening. Emma was in terrible pain during the night and following morning but recovered sufficiently to shower late in the afternoon on the 7th. Emma was in very good spirits that evening and at 8pm waved goodbye to her father from the balcony.
On Thursday 8th March Emma was very ill and experienced a lot of pain and sickness and so slept most of the day. Emma continued to fight in great pain throughout Friday 9th March. Emma regained consciousness for a few minutes when her three babies arrived to be with their mummy. With Megan, Beatrix and Madeline cuddling Emma tears came from her eyes and at 5.30pm our darling Emma passed away.
Even in that terrible last week of her life Emma never moaned about her cancer and what it had done to her. Her strength of character was incredible and her only concern was for her three rays of sunshine who she loved and worshipped so very much.
On Friday 16th March 2012 Emma was cremated at Taunton Crematorium. Emma’s wicker coffin was carried by her brothers James, Edward and William and her husband Mark. Megan and Mark read very moving accounts of their time with an extremely amazing person to the very large congregation whilst lovely pictures of Emma were shown on the overhead screens. Emma’s ashes were taken by close family to St Ives on Saturday 17th March 2012 to be scattered on the sea. In celebration of Emma’s life 15 of the group repeatedly jumped off the harbour wall into the sea as Emma had done so many times on holiday in St Ives.You can read about events in association with Emma Isherwood Trust here:
Emma was born at Musgrove Park Hospital, Taunton, on Friday 9th November 1973, the first of four children and sister to James, Edward and William. Aged five she attended her first school Original Infants in Taunton before the family moved and spent four enjoyable years in Mevagissey, Cornwall, between 1979 and 1983. Upon returning to Taunton Emma attended North Town junior school and then continued her education at Bishop Fox’s school at the old site on Kingston Road. Aged 16 Emma left school and began working for Social Services caring for adults with learning difficulties.
On 5th August 1995 Emma married Csjt Mark Isherwood a serving soldier with The Rifles. Emma and Mark lived in many army quarters in the UK and abroad. In 1997, while stationed in Cyprus, Megan the first of Emma and Mark’s three children was born. Beatrix followed in 2002 while Emma and Mark were stationed in Harrogate, and Madeline in 2006 during a period at Weeton Barracks, Blackpool.
A year later in 2007 Mark was shot while serving on Operation Telic in Iraq, but recovered fully and went on to serve on Operation Herrick in Afghanistan.
In 2008 Emma returned to Taunton with the girls and started a hairdressing course at Somerset College.
On the 1st March 2010 Emma attended a GP appointment for an examination of a wart like growth on the top of her thigh. The GP initially concluded that the growth was non malignant but sent samples for further testing to confirm. Shortly after while in Musgrove Park Hospital for a hysterectomy, Emma was contacted by her GP and informed that the results showed a malignant melanoma and that surgery would be necessary.
On the 22nd March Emma was admitted to the Royal Devon & Exeter Hospital for an operation to remove the cancer from her thigh and two lymph nodes. Several months later Emma was invited to join an Avastin trial for cancer patients at the Macmillan Unit in Yeovil Hospital. The trial commenced on the 10th May 2010 and ran for 11 months to April 2011. During this difficult and challenging period Emma completed her Level 2 hairdressing course at Somerset College achieving distinctions in 8 out of 11 units, and received a special award from the college acknowledging her determination.
In July and August, 3 months after completing the Avastin trial, Emma had follow up checks and a scan at the Beacon Centre in Musgrove Hospital. On the 2nd September 2011 Emma received the terrible news that the cancer had returned and had spread to form a large tumour on and around her liver, plus a number of additional small tumours around her body. Emma’s oncologist at the Beacon Centre arranged for Emma to visit the Royal Marsden Hospital, London, on the 22nd September to confirm suitability for inclusion in a new trial that showed very good results in cancer sufferers. Unfortunately tests proved Emma had the wrong mutant gene and could therefore not participate in the trial.
The following month on the 6th October Emma began chemotherapy at the Beacon Centre using three different drugs. The effects left Emma very ill and so she remained in hospital for five days. Several weeks later on the 27th October Emma received her second bout of chemotherapy followed by a shorter two-day stay in hospital. However, two days after returning home she became ill and had to return to hospital for a further two day stay. Emma drove herself back from the hospital in her beloved black mini called ‘Marmaduke”, a further sign of her determination to continue life as normal. On the 17th November Emma had her third chemotherapy treatment using two drugs after which she stayed in hospital for only two days having felt considerably better than before.
On the 2nd December 2011 Emma saw Dr Barlow for the results of the body scan she had on the 29th November. The tumour had not reduced in size but had also not grown, findings that Dr Barlow suggested Emma could take heart from. Emma was offered a wig for her thinning hair but declined, and on the 5th December cut her hair very short. Further chemotherapy followed on the 8th December again followed by a two-day stay in hospital and with Emma very well in comparison to earlier treatments. A few weeks later on the 22 December at 6am Emma, accompanied by her dad, supported Mark on his fund raising run from Frenchay Hospital to the Beacon Centre to raise funds for Emma. The next day Emma returned to see Dr Barlow at the Beacon Centre for a routine pre chemotherapy check.
Between Christmas and New Year on the 29th December Emma received her fifth chemotherapy treatment, which went well and was followed by a two-day stay in hospital. On the 13th January Emma attended a routine pre chemotherapy check with Dr Barlow, which showed her blood levels to be low. As a result her sixth chemotherapy treatment, scheduled for the 18th January, was cancelled and Emma was admitted to the Beacon Centre for treatment for low blood levels where she remained until the 20th January. By the 23rd January Emma’s blood levels had recovered and she received her sixth chemotherapy treatment on the 26th followed by a two days hospital stay.
On the 3rd February Emma became very ill and was admitted at 6.15pm to MAU at Musgrove Park Hospital, where she stayed in the isolation room until 2.35pm on Sunday 5th February. On Thursday 9th February at 8.30pm Emma had a scan before seeing Dr Barlow on the 10th. The results showed that the liver tumour had shrunk. A month later on 4th March Emma was taken ill with very bad headaches and sickness. The next day on Monday 5th March at 10.15am, Emma visited her GP who informed her that the headaches were not related to the cancer.
That evening Emma had a very painful night and was therefore visited by her friend Dr Rhona Mann at 08.50am Tuesday at the request of Emma’s mum. Rhona arranged with her husband who was on duty at the Musgrove A & E department for Emma to be admitted immediately. Following examinations and a brain scan Emma’s family were informed that the cancer had spread to her brain and that this was the reason for the terrible headaches. Later that morning Emma was moved to the MAU ward before moving to room 8 of the Beacon Ward at 9.45pm that evening. Emma was in terrible pain during the night and following morning but recovered sufficiently to shower late in the afternoon on the 7th. Emma was in very good spirits that evening and at 8pm waved goodbye to her father from the balcony.
On Thursday 8th March Emma was very ill and experienced a lot of pain and sickness and so slept most of the day. Emma continued to fight in great pain throughout Friday 9th March. Emma regained consciousness for a few minutes when her three babies arrived to be with their mummy. With Megan, Beatrix and Madeline cuddling Emma tears came from her eyes and at 5.30pm our darling Emma passed away.
Even in that terrible last week of her life Emma never moaned about her cancer and what it had done to her. Her strength of character was incredible and her only concern was for her three rays of sunshine who she loved and worshipped so very much.
On Friday 16th March 2012 Emma was cremated at Taunton Crematorium. Emma’s wicker coffin was carried by her brothers James, Edward and William and her husband Mark. Megan and Mark read very moving accounts of their time with an extremely amazing person to the very large congregation whilst lovely pictures of Emma were shown on the overhead screens. Emma’s ashes were taken by close family to St Ives on Saturday 17th March 2012 to be scattered on the sea. In celebration of Emma’s life 15 of the group repeatedly jumped off the harbour wall into the sea as Emma had done so many times on holiday in St Ives.You can read about events in association with Emma Isherwood Trust here:
