Well first off, your friend isn't in danger of dying/poor health from this chart. Yes Mars is Lord 8 and is now applying to that conjunction with Lord 1. However, firstly there is reception and Lord 8 doesn't kill someone when there's reception - indeed, unless your friend has known and serious health problems it's not likely that death is signified at all. However there's an additional point. The Moon will reach Mars before Mercury does, so any ill effects are prohibited.
On the Moon Venus sextile; You are right, we shouldn't read for things that aren't connected with the question. But, there is something that just might apply to the question. It lies in Masha'allah's claim that the Moon or Lord 1 applying to an aspect with a benefic in an angle, promises the matter will be perfected. Now Venus is a benefic and it is in the tenth house (though not in Gemini). The Moon is applying to Venus from her own sign of Exaltation and Venus' Domicile. So there is certainly Reception and it doesn't matter whether Venus has essential dignity or not, according to Masha'allah (though she does by Dorothean triplcities). Indeed there is a classic Mutual Reception here but I don't think that matters for Masha'allah's point to hold.
Is there a fly in the ointment? Well Venus is over 33 degrees from the MC and it's very arguable as to whether she should be treated as angular. Nevertheless, she is in a succeedent house and the premier one at that, one that ranks above the fourth and (in some authors) the seventh.
So I'd be tempted to tell her that there is grounds for hope but no guarantee. That's probably a better answer in the circumstances, both her own and those of the chart. Telling her there's no chance at all, is rather likely to upset her, as you recognise and the chart does offer some hope, assuming Masha'allah is correct.