Janey Godley's selfless act for husband in final months as he struggled with her treatment

As she looked ahead to the final few days of her life, Janey Godley made sure she was there for the man she'd loved since her teenage years - her devoted husband, Sean Storrie.

Stand-up comedian Janey, who continued to find humour in life, even during her darkest moments, regularly spoke fondly about her husband of over 40 years, and even took time to show her enduring love for him shortly after receiving some devastating news.

The 63-year-old Scot was diagnosed with ovarian cancer in 2021, during the thick of the Coronavirus pandemic. In 2022, she was given the all-clear, but her joy didn't last long, and she later revealed that the cancer had spread.

Janey faced her cancer journey with her signature wit, even poking fun at her diagnosis in her darkly-named stand-up show Why Is She Still Here?. Sadly, Janey was forced to cancel her autumn tour after learning she was 'getting near the end of it', telling fans that she had moved into a hospice, where she was receiving palliative care.

Speaking candidly with fans via X, Glasgow-born Janey reflected: "It is devastating news to know I'm facing end of life, but we all come to an end sometime." Right up until the end, however, Janey and Sean showed each other support, staying true to the vows they'd made so many decades before.

Teenage sweethearts

Childhood sweethearts Sean and Janey tied the knot in 1980 when BBC Radio 4 star Janey was just 19. Opening up about their sweet engagement story last year, to mark their 43rd wedding anniversary, Janey tweeted: "On this day in 1979 I got engaged to a 16yr old lad, behind his dad's pub sitting on beer barrels he gave me a diamond ring. Married now for 43 years … not been easy, but here we are .. happy anniversary Mr Storrie." She later shared a photograph of their hands entwined, captioned, 'anniversary hugs on the ward'.

In spite of their youth, the lovebirds proved to be a strong pairing, with Janey having previously described Sean as 'her rock and support system'. And she protected him in turn. Although Janey's career attracted plenty of attention, she did her best to guard her husband's privacy, making sure to block out his face in photographs that could see him recognised when out and about.

Moving tribute

Even when she knew the end was near, Janey took a moment to pay tribute to her loyal spouse on September 27, to mark their 44th wedding anniversary. It was to be their final one together. Sharing a photograph of herself as a smiling young bride, alongside another of her and Sean in their younger years, Janey wrote: "44 years ago two teens got married -all my love Mr Storrie happy anniversary".

Janey penned the message mere days after telling followers she was entering end-of-life care. Taking to X at the time, Janey shared: “I don’t know how long I’ve got left before anybody asks, I’m not a tick-tock, I just want you all to know that I appreciate all the love you’ve gave me. Cancer affects one in two people and it’s affected me.”

Living with autism

Janey has previously spoken about what it's like to live with a husband on the autistic spectrum, offering a personal insight into the ups and downs of her home life. In a touching article penned for Medium, Janey told readers: "He faked to the world that he was regular member of society and inside waited for the world to catch him being the fake he always felt.

"It is no surprise his mental health suffered, and explains his few suicide attempts and his struggle to make sense of a world where he doesn't feel he can fit in. The upsides are he is completely accepting of every race, creed, colour and sexuality. He doesn't think lateral he thinks literal, and doesn't understand why anyone would discriminate against people for no good reason."

She continued: "He is also great when I need someone to run my comedy past, as he can immediately tell me if he doesn't understand the joke or what am trying to say, and makes me reword stories so they make more sense.

"When asked to describe his Autism he said, 'Every day I fight with emotions and feelings I can't control, I suppose it's like being homosexual and trying to pretend am straight to the world, or I feel like my skin doesn't feel right and my brain wants to take me into a place I can't get out of.

"Sometimes there are so many things to cover up in one day, my dyslexia, my depression, my inability to make eye contact, my disdain of other people, my obvious disinterest when someone talks to me and I don't want them near me anymore…it's hard to hide all that inside….and the knowledge of all the things I did to you'."

Devotion until the end

Even in her final days at the hospice, Janey took comfort from Sean's presence. Keeping social media followers updated from the hospice, Janey recently shared: "Husbands coming to see me today- as every day- the sheer love and outpouring of support also taking about death and living in a hospice is a brilliant thing - people need to have more dialogue around death and how families are affected at this time- it’s scary I know."

Like mother, like daughter

Sean and Janey share a daughter Ashley Storrie, who has followed her mother into the world of comedy. Ashley, who is also autistic, starred in BBC sitcom Dinosaur earlier this year, and has inherited her mum's excellent sense of humour. Janey was very proud of Ashley, describing her as 'amazing' back in April, ahead of the series being aired. And the feeling was absolutely mutual.

After Janey received her honorary degree from Glasgow University from her hospice bed, Ashley, 38, took to Twitter, telling followers: "This has brought her so much joy in the final beats of her life. Janey is so honoured, and I am so immensely proud of her. I am always proud of her."

For more information or support about cancer, you can contact Macmillan Cancer Support or you can call 020 7940 1760 for advice.

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