Watch: Wedding bells at Shropshire hospital as cancer patient ties the knot
Even a cancer diagnosis and coronavirus scare could not stop a Shropshire hospital patient marrying the woman he loves.
Roy Wilson, who broke his femur during an accident at his home in Telford earlier this month, is being cared for at Robert Jones and Agnes Hunt Orthopaedic Hospital, near Oswestry.
And it was there he tied the knot with long-term partner, Jill Hird – now Mrs Wilson – on Monday afternoon.
The couple were married by hospital chaplain The Rev Simon Airey, in a special ceremony that was only able to go ahead thanks to special dispensation from the Archbishop of Canterbury.
After being taken to hospital following his accident, 70-year-old Roy, from Leegomery, was later diagnosed with terminal bone cancer.
It was then he decided there was no time like the present to marry his partner Jill – and after a conversation with the chaplain last week, the wheels for the couple’s marriage were put in motion.
However, Roy's hopes of marrying in hospital were put under threat as he started showing symptoms of Covid-19.
There was relief as a test returned a negative result on Friday evening.
That meant it was all systems go, with those involved able to wear face masks rather than have to put on full personal protective equipment.
Hospital staff pulled out all the stops to make the day as special as possible, creating handmade decorations and sourcing food.
M&S Food in Oswestry kindly donated the wedding cake and healthcare assistant Joanne Richards was one of the couple’s witnesses.
The hospital's medical photographer Nia Pritchard also provided stunning photo coverage of the occasion.
Before getting married, Roy and Jill hadn’t seen each other since April 1 – when he was first admitted into hospital, due to the current visiting restrictions.
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Roy said: “This has been a long time coming. It’s been a really special but emotional day.
"I’m absolutely exhausted but it’s been wonderful.
"We can’t thank the staff and chaplain enough for making this happen for us.”
His new wife, Jill said: “What a day. It’s been absolutely lovely from start to finish, it’s certainly been a day to remember for us both.
"A big thank you to the wonderful hospital staff for all that they’ve done for us.”
The Rev Airey has only taken up the position of chaplain in recent weeks, and this was the first wedding ceremony he has performed at the hospital.
Privilege
And with all ‘regular’ weddings currently stopped due to the Government-imposed lockdown, he had to jump through a number of hoops to make the couple’s dream come true, including getting permission from the Archbishop of Canterbury.
He said: “What an occasion, what a special day for not just Roy and Jill but also the hospital.
"It’s been a quick turnaround to get it all sorted to ensure the wedding could legally go ahead but we got there.
“I don’t think any of us will ever forget today.
"It was a complete privilege and very uplifting, given the current circumstances.
"Thank you to Mr and Mrs Wilson for allowing us to be a part of their special day.”
Stacey Keegan, acting chief executive of the trust, said: “As a hospital, we pride ourselves on giving true holistic care.
"When Roy and his partner explained how important getting married was to them, we knew we had to pull out all the stops to make it happen.
“I have to pay particular tribute to The Rev Airey, who has gone above and beyond to make this a reality, and to Julie Roberts, who has been leading our infection prevention and control work during the coronavirus pandemic, but has somehow also found the time to support this as well.
“On behalf of everyone at RJAH, I would like to offer our congratulations to Roy and Jill and wish them every happiness.”
