Cancer survivor's event a big success

Exeter’s very special mini-indoor festival GemFest 2015 was a huge success – raising money for Hospiscare and lots of smiles from happy festival goers.

GemFest featured an afternoon of family fun at the Exeter Phoenix Centre, with lots of music, games, face painting and Easter eggs, with great music from Teens Support Hospiscare.

The evening saw an amazing line up of local talent featuring an eclectic mix of music, comedy, poetry, DJ’s and more.

The Silent Disco, wearing headphones with a choice of two DJ’s, proved popular. Festival goers wanting to glam it up enjoyed having a “Victory Roll” wartime hairstyle.

GemFest was organised by Gemma Wensley and her many friends. Gemma, a former pupil at Exeter College, has always been a big live music fan and regularly attended many UK festivals including Glastonbury before she fell seriously ill in 2009 with an inoperable brain tumour.

Now five years on the tumour has shrunk thanks to chemotherapy and Gemma is enjoying life to the full. During her Gemfest promotion Gemma described Hospiscare as “absolutely brilliant and amazing.”

When Gemma was very ill she had visits from a Hospiscare specialist nurse and also came along to Hospiscare’s day care centre at the hospice. “The nurse was a great support for me and my auntie who I live with,” said Gemma.

“I used to go to day care once a week, it was a bit of routine for me, I did some arts and crafts, had a massage and chatted to people who have all got the same thing in common. It’s one of the most positive places and it took all the fear away – Hospiscare staff will look after you. Because of its name people do not realise that Hospiscare is our local charity and it needs support from us.”

Friends organised a festival in 2012 to celebrate Gemma’s 30th birthday - this was the third public Gemfest raising money for Hospiscare and the Brain Tumour Charity.