Cancer patient with days to live marries at hospice

  • 22/05/2017
(Facebook)
(Facebook)

A community has banded together to throw a last minute wedding for a couple who had their dream plans destroyed by the groom's terminal cancer diagnosis.

Ray Kershaw, 63, and Tracy Brooks, 45, had big plans for a wedding in the United Kingdom next year, but had to abandon the idea when Mr Kershaw was diagnosed with terminal cancer in March.

Mr Kershaw has days left to live, the Manchester Evening News reports, but thanks to charity Gift Of A Wedding the couple were married on Saturday. 

Members of the charity donated items including catering, flowers, and dresses, as well as money to put on a ceremony at Spring Hill hospice in Rochdale.

They also volunteered to take photos and provide hair and makeup for the ceremony.

Gift of a Wedding initially set the wedding date for June 2nd, but this was brought forward to May 20th when Mr Kershaw's condition began to rapidly deteriorate.

Ms Brooks' bridesmaid Melissa King said the couple were overwhelmed by the kindness shown to them by strangers.

"What Gift of a Wedding did was incredible. They were up all hours the night before the wedding to make sure it happened," she told the Manchester Evening News.

"I know Tracy and Ray can't thank everyone enough for making it happen. We can't believe how much people donated at such short notice."

Gift of a Wedding said in a Facebook post "Rochdale you're just the best! Thank you so much for pulling together to help us with this urgent wedding today."

Newshub.