A Ward Wedding!
June 17th marked a very special day for one of the Rookwood patients. It was on ward A7 where patient Lee and his partner, Michael, got married! A day that they have been dreaming of for a long time in their nine year relationship. They have been wanting to get married for a while but with Lee being in hospital for 16 months it was looking more and more unlikely that he would get the marriage of his dreams. As Michael put it, “Lee is a bit of a dreamer. He wants red carpets, elephants and the magazines to be there” but nothing could compete with the outstanding effort the hospital staff put in to make the ceremony special for the soulmates.
The hospital staff went “above and beyond” Michael said for them both with a combination of everybody getting involved and chipping in where they could. With Lee unfortunately only have a limited amount of time left Michael said, “The wedding has made him not stop smiling and he doesn’t stop talking about it either!” This is exactly what the team wanted for Lee and they brought the couple the “dream of getting married”.
However, they didn't do just that…
The hospital were more than happy to facilitate the wedding and ensure the day could be as special as possible, which they undoubtedly did! The arrangements meant the transformation of the hospital room was something quite unrecognisable. With balloons, fairy lights, murals and flowers the room was “stunning” Michael emphasised. Although it seemed quite impossible, it was the little touches that made this room and the entire wedding exceptional. Something the couple said they wouldn’t get anywhere else, they even provided a cake to be cut!
Andrew Brown, the ward manager, stated, “After the past 12 months, particularly being a frontline COVID area during the first wave and being displaced elsewhere during the second wave, the staff enjoyed being part of a good news feel good story.” This meant they were more determined than ever to ensure they could give the couple the wedding they deserve and bring happiness to everyone.
With lots of organisation, busy planning, telephone calls and nerves the wedding was ready to take place. Lee requested that some of the staff attended as he had formed a bond with some of them due to being an in-patient for several months, including staff such as Gail and Lisa, one of the ward managers. They turned up in full wedding outfits along with Lee and Michael who also had their wedding suits on! There was a limited number allowed to attend the ceremony due to COVID-19 and social distancing restrictions but nonetheless the ceremony went ahead.
As the wedding began, the staff lined up in the corridor to applaud Lee making his way to the ceremony which Andrew claimed, “was a lovely moment that the staff could become involved in.” Lots of other patients commented how warming the celebration was and uplifting to have a celebratory event, particularly with the pandemic of the past 12 months. The end of the celebration was welcomed with an enormous round of applause and cheer by all the staff and patients.
There were also arrangements for media resources to attend and take official photographs to capture the beautiful moment for the couple and the hospital. There was a live video of the day and the whole ceremony was captured. The rays of sunshine invited Lee, Michael and some of the staff out to the lake for more photographs and some peace to take in the celebration.
The hospital finally provided them with a separate room to continue a small celebration for the happily married couple. With a bed provided in the room, the couple stayed the night together so that they didn't have to spend their wedding night alone.
The day was truly very special and a massive thank you goes to everyone involved in making sure it happened. It was when the staff went that extra mile to make it a day that would be incredibly special to Michael and Lee that made the whole experience so memorable. They said they would be “forever grateful” and it would be a day that would never be forgotten.