Devastated father who lost both his wife and wellness influencer daughter to cancer reveals the ‘appalling’ detail in Belle Gibson Netflix series Apple Cider Vinegar that has triggered fresh trauma

The grieving father of an Australian ‘wellness warrior’ has slammed her portrayal in Netflix’s popular new series about cancer faker Belle Gibson as ‘appalling’.

This month marks 10 years since Australian teen magazine editor turned wellness entrepreneur Jessica Ainscough, 29, lost her battle with a rare form of  cancer after shunning conventional medical treatment.

Now her father Col is reliving the trauma of Jessica’s death because of what he says is her ‘inaccurate’ portrayal in Netflix’s new show, Apple Cider Vinegar, which retells the ‘true-ish story’ based on the lies of Gibson.

Mr Ainscough claimed the show is full of painful inaccuracies, including that Jessica was friends with Gibson, who pretended to have cured brain cancer with alternative therapies.

He also lost his wife Sharyn to cancer 18 months before his only child Jessica.

The series shows Gibson having a close friendship with a woman called Milla Blake, played by Australian actress Alycia Debnam-Carey who has confirmed Milla is based on Jessica.

However, Mr Ainscough, 72, claimed his daughter was never friends with Gibson and that the scammer only appeared at Jessica’s memorial for the sake of her own image.

‘Continually linking Jess’s name to Belle is appalling. Jess doesn’t deserve her legacy to be tarnished by this,’ Mr Ainscough told the Daily Telegraph.

Jessica Ainscough (pictured) died from complications in 2015 after using a combination of conventional and alternative cancer treatments 

Jessica’s father, Col Ainscough (pictured together) was disappointed to hear his daughter’s portrayal in Netflix’s new show, Apple Cider Vinegar

Mr Ainscough claimed his daughter’s storyline in Apple Cider Vinegar was ‘inaccurate’ (pictured, character Milla Blake, who is based on Jessica)

Although he admitted to not watching the series himself, he’s been told of its contents- which he described as ‘insensitive and clearly profit-driven’. 

Jessica had worked as an online editor for the popular Australian magazine Dolly prior to being diagnosed with epithelioid sarcoma in 2008.

She had noticed lumps forming on her left arm and was given a bleak chance of surviving the cancer.

Determined to combine conventional and holistic medicine to beat her odds, Jessica created her blog The Wellness Warrior, which amassed 1.5 million followers.

One of the treatments she tried was Gerson therapy, which saw her drink juices every hour and undergo several coffee enemas every day.

Despite being shown in the series as unsupportive of Jessica’s holistic remedies, Mr Ainscough said he also felt ‘Jess had no real option but to seek alternatives’.

‘Jess was incredibly intelligent and she and Sharyn (his late wife) spent months researching every possible option, including clinics worldwide. I did my own research, read about Gerson therapy and felt confident it was manageable for our family,’ he said. 

‘I trusted Jess and Sharyn’s judgment, knowing they wouldn’t take such a decision lightly.’ 

The ‘true-ish’ series depicts Jessica as a friend of hoaxer Belle Gibson (pictured), who pretended to have cured brain cancer with alternative therapies

Mr Ainscough claimed his daughter was never friends with Bella Gibson (pictured in the Netflix series Apple Cider Vinegar)

Mr Ainscough added Jessica’s blended approach to cancer treatment seemed effective, noting she was ‘cancer-free’ after two years on the Gerson program.

However, the family weren’t given long to celebrate Jessica’s remission with her mother being diagnosed with breast cancer in April 2011.

As it was a late diagnosis, Sharyn chose to focus on improving her quality of life rather than eliminating the cancer.

She too followed parts of the Gerson program and adjusted her diet before dying in October 2013.

The Cancer Council states Gerson therapy it is not ‘a valid or effective treatment for cancer’ and shouldn’t be taken in lieu of conventional treatments.

Jessica’s cancer returned the following year and she died in February 2015, just weeks before Gibson’s cancer fraud was exposed.

But Mr Ainscough claimed even his daughter’s death wasn’t safe from the show, with it showing Jessica dying from the cancer spreading through her body while she actually passed due to complications from radiation therapy.  

Mr Ainscough was also gutted to hear he’d been portrayed as aggressive and unsupportive on the show (pictured, Jessica with her parents on the Netflix show)

Mr Ainscough said of Apple Cider Vinegar: ‘Continually linking Jess’s (pictured) name to Belle is appalling’

Jessica’s former fiance – Tallon Pamenter, her best friend – Melanie Elliott, and Mr Ainscough have accused the creators of Apple Cider Vinegar of failing to consult them to ensure her story was told accurately.

The production company did not respond to the outlet’s request for comment.

Its creator Samantha Strauss has stated Apple Cider Vinegar is a ‘true-ish’ story that is based on Gibson’s cancer fraud and is ‘in some respects, fiction as well’.

***
Read more at DailyMail.co.uk