Mother who has months to live felt “like a princess” after the community gave her the perfect wedding
A mother who has months to live felt like a “princess” after her community banded together to throw her the perfect wedding.
Emma Rice, 32, married her high school sweetheart Dava Rice, 34, in April after local businesses donated the venue, cake, cars, DJ and photographer for free.
The wedding day was organized just months after Emma, from Birkenhead, the Wirral, was diagnosed with stage four terminal ovarian cancer in January.
Her symptoms started in February 2021, when she started experiencing heavy bleeding from her vagina and discomfort.
Medics thought her contraceptive coil had come loose, but further examination of her cervix revealed the “damning truth.”
Emma Rice, 32, married her high school sweetheart Dava Rice, 34, in April after local businesses donated the venue, cake, cars, DJ and photographer for free. Pictured: Emma and Dava with their children David Jn, 11, Keeley-Mae, 10 (left) and six-year-old Ariela
Despite chemotherapy and radiotherapy, the cancer spread and Emma was told she had about a year to live.
Emma’s best friend, Louise Bell, 29, a teaching assistant, helped organize “the perfect wedding day” with the help of family and friends.
Emma has since moved to St John’s Hospice, at Clatterbridge Hospital, where she is regularly visited by Dava and their three children David Jn, 11, Keeley-Mae, 10, and six-year-old Ariela.
Newlywed Dava, a warehouse clerk, said, “It was the best time of my life.
“My heart has not passed that day – I am still living it now. She finally got the day she deserved.
“We couldn’t have done it all with Louise’s help – she was incredible and we are so grateful.”
The mother of three, who used to manage the Claughton Village Sunbed Shop, added: ‘The wedding day lived up to my expectations and went beyond what I could have imagined. I felt like a princess that day.’
Emma and Dava first met as teenagers through friends, when she was 16 and he was 17, and have been together ever since.
The wedding day was organized just months after Emma, from Birkenhead, the Wirral, was diagnosed with stage four terminal ovarian cancer in January. Pictured: Emma in hospice
Emma and Dava first met as teenagers through friends, when she was 16 and he was 17, and have been together ever since. He said he was determined to marry her ‘while he still could’
The local community rallied to give Emma and Dava the dream wedding day they deserved
The GP initially told her that the pain was due to her contraceptive coil becoming ‘misaligned’ and her uterus ‘rupturing’.
But the pain increased, so Emma sought advice from a specialist.
Dava said: ‘The GP was convinced it was the IUD. They said, “You’re too young to be anything else.”
“But she was so anemic that she passed out from the loss of blood and pain.
“At the time the specialist looked at her cervix, she said she’d never seen one that looked like this and wasn’t cancer.”
Emma was diagnosed with stage three cervical cancer in February 2022 and referred to Clatterbridge Cancer Centre, Liverpool for treatment.
The couple were hopeful when Emma went for a PET scan in January this year, but their world came crashing down when they heard the results.
Emma has months to live because she has terminal ovarian cancer. Pictured: Emma with her bridesmaids
Dava said they always “dreamed” of getting married but were never in the financial position to afford it
Emma has since attended St John’s Hospice at Clatterbridge Hospital, where she is regularly visited by Dava and their three children. In the photo: Emma during treatment
Dava said, “The cancer had spread. We asked how long she had left, and they said about a year – our whole world came crashing down.
“Every day feels like it goes too fast when you have a deadline.
“We always dreamed of getting married one day, but we were never in the financial position to afford it and life got in the way.
“But I was determined to marry her while I still could.”
With Emma’s health failing, one of their best friends, Louise, steps forward to help them plan a wedding.
She reached out to local businesses and was overwhelmed by the response – many of whom donated free services.
The venue was provided for free by Izzy and Paul Swift, owners of The Saddle Club, and Clarity Wedding Photography took all the photos for free.
The cake, food and photo booth were free and Action Wedding Videos produced a moving video of the big day.
Emma’s symptoms started in February 2021, when she started experiencing heavy bleeding from her vagina and discomfort
Emma is determined to make other women aware of the signs and symptoms of ovarian cancer
Dava said it was ‘very hard’ to look after their mother sick for their children, but they were ‘so strong’
Dava said that he and Emma are making the most of the time they have left together. In the photo: the couple with their children
Emma’s family even participated and her grandmother, Mari Clarke, paid for the rings.
Dava added, “Emma did a great job on the day, even though she was tired.
“We are so thankful for everyone’s amazing support. The hospice was incredible.
“It was very hard for the children to see their mother get sick, but they were so strong.
“Emma and I are so proud of them and we’re making the most of the time we have left together.”
Emma is determined to make other women aware of the signs and symptoms of ovarian cancer.
Emma said, “I am overwhelmed and proud to be part of a community that comes together to help those in need.
“I have suffered physically in ways I never thought possible – my life and family have been taken from me.
“But if I can raise awareness to save at least one woman from this needless destruction of them and those around them, then I’m happy to be in this fight.”