Gemma's Legacy
The tragic true story of a young and dynamic woman underscores the harsh reality of cervical cancer. Gemma Willis, who once worked as a superyacht florist from Essex, passed away at just 31 years old.
She missed her cervical screenings while working onboard and, even though she had no symptoms, a routine test in 2019 led to a heartbreaking diagnosis.
Sadly, she lost her fight against the disease two years later.
We are honoured to welcome Gemma's mum, Jayn, as one of our guest speakers at next week's event in Antibes — she'll be with us on Day 1.
Jayn has turned her grief into a mission by launching "The Floating Florista Foundation," in honour of Gemma's passion as a florist, Jayn hopes to raise awareness about the very real threat of cervical cancer.
The foundation offers relaxing days for cancer patients, and through their hashtag #DoItForGem, promotes the vital importance of timely smear tests.
Working closely with Gemma Hulbert (The Yacht Stew) and Caroline Blatter (Superyacht Services Guide) we have come together to create a directory so no woman needs to miss a smear test ever again — wherever they are in the world.
So let's come together and #DoItForGem and keep as many women safe onboard as we can.
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Being a part of the YPOW community offers access to an abundance of resources for our members through our app, focusing on both physical and mental well-being. Our upcoming event in Antibes this September will be dedicated solely to promoting crew mental health — both at sea and as they transition to shore life.
A significant aspect of our 'Keep Safe' campaign revolves around Gemma's legacy. We aim to ensure that every female crew member is not only aware of the visible signs of cervical cancer but also has access to cervical screenings wherever they are in the world. They shouldn't have to wait until they finish their season and return home to schedule a smear test.
Our hope is that by raising awareness; providing resources and signposting we can turn Gemma’s tragedy into a lifesaving legacy.