THERE was no string quartet or lush garden setting. Instead, in a tiny hospital ward chapel sat family, friends and a dying mother whose wish had come true.
“Special” was the only word to describe the wedding of Jason and Melissa Dunlop at Werribee Mercy Hospital’s palliative care unit on Friday, with even the seasoned celebrant almost lost for words as they tied the knot.
“I’ve seen a lot of special weddings in my time,” celebrant Tim Manger said, “but none as special as this”.
The Truganina couple made an 11th-hour decision to drop grander wedding plans to give Melissa’s 54-year-old mum, Sharon Brown, the chance to see her daughter get married.
“We were going to get married on November 6, because it was our eight-year anniversary, then mum was admitted to hospital and we wanted to make sure she could enjoy the day,” Melissa said.
“Everything has happened for a reason.”
For Sharon, who has terminal cancer and was admitted to inpatient care last month, the decision allowed her to experience “every mother’s dream”.
“I’m rapt. You couldn’t ask for a better wedding. Especially now that I’m dying, it’s just lovely to have it brought forward, so I can see my children.”
Melissa said staff at the Gabriel Jennings Centre palliative care unit had been running a countdown to the big day in the ward, sharing in the excitement. “Some nurses even came off shift so they could be there.”
