Wife of Sky Sports presenter Simon Thomas dies three days after leukaemia diagnosis
‘I am crushed with indescribable pain’
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Sports presenter Simon Thomas has revealed his wife has died three days after being diagnosed with leukaemia.
Thomas, who presents the Premier League coverage on Sky Sports, said his wife Gemma had visited her GP three times this week, who told her to take some pills and rest.
But when she continued to feel unwell she went to the hospital, where she was diagnosed with acute myloid leukaemia, an aggressive form of blood cancer.
Ms Thomas, who celebrated her 40th birthday in May, began chemotherapy on Tuesday evening and initially responded well.
Yet her health deteriorated and her husband was told she only had hours to live on Friday morning.
Thomas, 44, who formerly worked as a Blue Peter presenter, announced his wife’s death on Twitter, saying: “Today I am crushed with indescribable pain.
“Just three days after falling ill with Acute Myloid Leukaemia, my dear wife Gemma passed away yesterday evening surrounded by her family and friends.”
He requested that people pray for the couple’s eight-year-old son, Ethan, who he said was “precious and in bits”.
Thomas told Mirror Online his son said he wanted his “mummy back” for Christmas.
His son spent a “little time” with his mother on Friday, he said, but she was too unwell to speak and by that time had bleeding on her brain.
“Today is the hardest pain I have ever felt ever,” Thomas added.
He said he did not blame doctors for his wife’s death, but urged others who felt unwell to push for a diagnosis if they thought they were not getting the best care.
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