A devoted couple re-organised their wedding in just FOUR DAYS after being given the devastating news that the bride-to-be may have just weeks to live.
Christine Hirst hastily brought forward her planned July wedding to partner Steve after being told she made to live to see her big day.
She was originally diagnosed with metastatic melanoma – a type of skin cancer – in October 2016 and was told by doctors she had two years to live.
However, after recently suffering two seizures, an MRI scan revealed three tumours on Christine’s brain and she was then told that she may not live til July.
Determined to give the pair the special day that they deserved, friends and family rallied round and organised a wedding in just four days for the couple.
The couple, from Blackpool, Lancs., married on Wednesday [May 17] after their friends’ perseverance and determination to help them enjoy their big day.
Speaking about the wonderful celebration, Christine, 54, said: “I’ve never felt this happy in my life.
“I pray every night, ‘Please God, don’t take me yet’. I’m not ready to go yet.”
Steve, 54, and Christine met four years ago when she boldly approached Steve in the street and asked for his phone number.
Steve said: “She asked if she could come and see me and I said ‘yes, any time’.
“I thought ‘what a strange girl!’
Christine said: “I fell in love with him as soon as I saw him. I couldn’t help it.
“It’s hard knowing we’re only going to be together a short time.
“I’ve got to say goodbye to people I love very, very much and I don’t want to do that.
“I’m only 54 years old. I don’t want to die. Steve has been so supportive.”
Karen Santi, 35, a friend of Christine who helped to organise the wedding, said: “We basically got the whole thing sorted in about four days, it was such a quick turnaround.
“Christine took a turn for the worse last week and was told that there was no treatment. She cried all week, it was heartbreaking.
“We just thought ‘forget it we will make it happen’ and started to organise it as quickly as possible.
“The company I work for (Howarth House) really helped, they decorated their front room and sorted out a honeymoon suite for Christine and Steve.
“It was a pretty table and they set staff up to greet the couple on arrival. It was beautiful.
“Christine was so positive and she couldn’t believe it all. She was overwhelmed.
“They are a fantastic couple and so full of love for everybody around them.
“We don’t know how long Christine has left and she just wanted to get married, and we’ve made it happen.”
The couple were taken by horse drawn carriage to a romantic outdoor photoshoot before being treated to a celebratory meal at a local hotel thanks to wedding organisers Karen Santi, 35, Toni Travis, 34, and Jeanette Hyde, 57.
Karen said that she couldn’t believe the response and support by all of the couple’s family and friends.
She added: “Our friends have been brilliant and we had a horse drawn carriage and a hair and make up artist donate their time.
“We went round knocking on doors around the streets and asked as many people as we could.”
The couple are now looking forward to jetting off on a honeymoon to Benidorm, where Christine hopes to fulfill a lifelong dream to swim with dolphins, but will celebrate their nuptials again with a party this weekend.
Christine said: “We’ve got a celebration on Saturday for those who couldn’t make the wedding.
“We’ve got the whole place to ourselves, I’m having a red and gold wedding cake made, all my friends are helping me with the cooking and I’ll be wearing my wedding dress again.”
Karen said: “We have set up a function on Saturday for everyone to come together who couldn’t make the wedding.
“We are going to have a whip round and try to organise the swimming with dolphins in Benidorm that has always been Christine’s dream.
“She has had that dream every since I met her and I would love it to happen.
“We will make it happen.”
Christine was adamant her illness would not stop her having the wedding she dreamed of – and her determination does not stop there.
Despite her diagnosis, mum-of-two Christine added that she hopes to live to see the birth of her fourth grandchild, due to be born in December.
She said: “I’ve got a little granddaughter on the way. I will try my hardest to stay until she is born.”
