A Colorado couple, together for 11 years, have married in a hospital ceremony just two days after their engagement, after the bride was diagnosed with a rare form of cancer. Aliana Gleason is undergoing treatment for sarcoma, a cancer of the connective tissues, which has spread to her spine with limited treatment options available.
The couple told 9 News they had long delayed their wedding, hoping to one day afford the celebration they envisioned. However, news about Aliana's condition led them to reconsider. Bailey Gleason said: 'With some recent developments in our lives, we are thinking that life is short and that we want to be married.'
Hospital staff at HCA HealthOne Swedish in Englewood quickly organised the wedding, decorating a hallway with a heart banner, balloons and flower petals. Aliana, wearing a strapless white dress, went down the 'aisle' in a wheelchair. The couple said the ceremony exceeded their expectations.
'It feels like it was supposed to be this way,' Aliana said. 'It was amazing and made me feel really supported and see the goodness in people.' Nurse manager Matt Turrie said: 'There is not a lot you can always do, so when there is something you can do, by supporting the family, supporting the patient, being able to put on something like this, a wedding, a celebration.'
Aliana's vow included a promise to 'always stand beside him, even through the hard stuff'. She added: 'We are going through some of the hardest things you can go through right now in our lives, not just medically, in every aspect.' Despite the challenges, the couple said they wouldn't change a thing about their wedding day.
