In February 2018, Scott Ferguson’s world was turned upside down when he was diagnosed with a grade-four glioblastoma brain tumour.
When Scott – known as Fergs to friends and family – collapsed in a shopping centre, he and his partner Jaymie were given the devastating news that his illness was terminal.
Determined to battle on, the 33-year-old set about fulfilling the dreams he wanted to complete, with marrying Jaymie coming top of that list.
On their honeymoon, Scott, from Sydney, snorkelled around the Great Barrier Reef “without complaint”, despite by that stage only having use of one side of his body, as Jaymie described him and his attitude as “one of a kind”.
(Image: jaymie.ferguson/Instagram)
“From the very beginning, he was so positive, everyone that met him was like ‘how are you so relaxed?’,” she said.
One thing the couple both wanted was a child, and shortly after their wedding Jaymie began IVF, 7News reports.
After 10 months, they received the incredible news that Jaymie was pregnant, and she said they were both “ecstatic” and the good news gave Scott another reason to fight on, insisting he attended every appointment because “he was truly that stubborn”.
(Image: jaymie.ferguson/Instagram)
In March of this year, Scott passed away, three years after his diagnosis and having surpassed his life expectancy five times.
Four weeks after his funeral, Isla Scott Ferguson was born, with Jaymie saying she was overcome with joy but devastated her husband wasn’t there to hold his baby girl too.
Scott left notes and videos for his family before he passed away, including a clip for Isla telling her he was “fighting hard so that I can be here to meet you”, adding: “Just know I never gave up.”
(Image: jaymie.ferguson/Instagram)
He even wrote her a book, with a heartbreaking message reading: “Grow up dreaming. Follow your dreams, you don’t have to live like everyone else. Your mum and dad will always be proud and think of you every day.
“As long as you smile once every day, everything is going to be OK.”
Another page said: “When you get married, just know that I will be watching and walking you down the aisle.”
Jaymie said: “It’s just so heartbreaking that he was so close to meeting her. He would always be telling me all the things he wanted to do with our daughter.
“He would have been such a great father.”
The mum is now hoping to raise awareness and wants more to be done to help others who have been diagnosed with the same illness that took her husband’s life, saying: “We need to break the stigma surrounding brain cancer in Australia.”
