Dear Friends & Family,

The world is upside down at the moment, with fear and sadness everywhere from this terrible corona virus. I am sad to make this request of you at this awful time, but it is from my heart and I ask you my friends & family, to read my request and help me if you can in any way.

Some of you will know of my best friend in the world, Emy Barnes, who I have known for over ten years. A wonderful, kind and thoughtful person, always positive and always there for me when I needed someone. Truly one of a kind, and a true and caring friend.

She has struggled with health problems for years, but after 7 years waiting for a new kidney and having dialysis three times a week, she finally got a kidney transplant in 2018. It was the chance for her and her husband to live again and pursue their happiness. Unfortunately Emy suffered a blood clot as a result of her surgery, but spent the following months slowly recovering and getting well again. She managed to continue her job as nursery school teacher and spent her free time with her husband and cat Baba making their house in Birmingham a lovely home.

Then on 17 March, she went to A&E with a chest infection which triggered her asthma. She was tested for corona virus and the test was negative, but she did have pneumonia and had trouble breathing. She was put in complete isolation and her husband was unable to see her. Over the following weeks he provided us daily updates on her condition on Facebook which you may have seen.

She was quickly moved to the ICU with no visitors or direct contact possible, but she was in a stable condition. She was sedated and on an oxygen machine. Then on 26 March the doctor confirmed Emy had corona virus, despite the initial tests being negative. Still Emy has always been a fighter and her body continued to fight the virus with the help of the amazing NHS staff looking after her.

You can imagine what a difficult time for her husband, and for her parents in the Philippines who had already had a family tragedy with the loss of Emy’s younger brother to a long time health condition.

Emy’s condition started to improve, but then her kidney stopped working and she had to have a dialysis despite her fragile condition, and her blood pressure was low. She continued to have small improvements in her condition and we never lost hope that a miracle could happen. Her husband was allowed to visit her and hold her hand for some hours last Wednesday, 8 April.

Then, last Thursday, 9 April, she lost her fight. Her husband only found out on Saturday due to a communication failure at the hospital. No words can express the devastation we all feel from this news that we had been dreading and praying would never come. Emy was so young, she was like an angel her on Earth, and at last her pain was over.

Emy’s husband is on his own now and after so much pain and worry and hoping against hope for her recovery, he now faces the cruelest task of making the arrangements for Emy’s cremation and funeral service here in the UK and then travelling to Philippines to have a funeral service with Emy’s family there. I have lost my best friend and my sister, and I wanted to try to help him in any small way during this most difficult time.

If you can help me, anything you can give would go towards the cremation and funeral service in the UK for a handful of people (observing the social distancing requirements). Then Emy’s husband will travel to Philippines with Emy’s ashes to have a funeral service with Emy’s family in Cavite.

Her husband is self-employed but hasn’t worked for weeks and wanted to isolate himself at home alone to stay virus free for when she would be able to be released from hospital and come home. Therefore I know any help we could give him at this time would be so appreciated, so that he can say goodbye to his beloved Emy in the right way.

Thank you for reading my heartfelt request. Please stay safe and well in these difficult months and try to stay strong.