Heartbroken family launch fundraiser for funeral of 'diamond' Sheffield mum-of-three after shock death at 35

Gemma Parker passed away on July 18 this year and leaves behind three children: Daniel, aged 13; 11-year-old Layla and Ella, aged nine; five brothers and her mum, Linda Cantrell.

Linda has described how Gemma was admitted to Northern General Hospital with ‘severe pain’ from a hernia on July 1, and she was released a week later on July 8.

“She still wasn’t quite right but they’d done what they could for her. She came out on the Friday and was rushed back in on the Sunday and had an emergency operation on the Monday. The operation was successful but she never pulled through it properly – her body just wasn’t strong enough. She got an infection and then fluid on her lungs and she was already asthmatic,” said Linda.

Linda has described Gemma has a ‘fantastic’ daughter and an ‘absolute diamond of a mum’ who has always been there for her children.

“We were inseparable, we did everything together – holidays, shopping...as soon as she her eyes were open she would call me. Every day, I still keep expecting her to call,” said Linda, who will now bring up Daniel, Layla and Ella on her own.

“The children are devastated. We all knew she was ill but not to that extent.”

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Gemma was born in Rotherham, but the family moved to Parson Cross when Gemma was just a few months old.

She went to Mansel Primary in Parson Cross and Yewlands Comprehensive School in Grenoside, before moving to High Green, where she raised her children.

Linda says she has been touched by the dozens of tributes and messages of condolence she has received from Gemma’s school friends since the 35-year-old’s tragic death.

Gemma’s funeral is set to cost around £6,000, and with Gemma’s death being so unexpected, Linda says the family are short of around £3,750; and so have launched a fundraising appeal through GoFundMe to make up the difference.

The family need to raise the money by Friday, August 12, ahead of Gemma’s funeral on August 23.

Anyone wishing to make a donation can do so by visiting the family’s GoFundMe page at: https://www.gofundme.com/f/4677k-for-my-beautiful-daughter?utm_campaign=p_cp+share-sheet&utm_medium=copy_link_all&utm_source=customer