Terminal woman weds same-sex partner in hospital ceremony

A terminally ill woman battling cancer was granted her dying wish of marrying her same-sex partner in a tragic yet beautiful hospital ceremony.

The couple were locked in a race against mortality and waited several torturous months for the gay marriage bill to pass through parliament – and were finally able to legally tie the knot in Melbourne on Monday.

Cas Willow, 53, exchanged vows with her partner of 17 years Heather Richards, 56, at the Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre where Ms Willow is receiving treatment for aggressive breast cancer.

 

Cas Willow, 53, (left) exchanged vows with her partner of 17 years Heather Richards, 56, (right) at the Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre where Ms Willow is receiving treatment for aggressive breast cancer

The couple (pictured) were locked in a race against mortality and waited several tortuous months for the gay marriage bill to pass through parliament - and were finally able to legally tie the knot in Melbourne

The couple (pictured) were locked in a race against mortality and waited several tortuous months for the gay marriage bill to pass through parliament – and were finally able to legally tie the knot in Melbourne

There wasn’t a dry eye in the room as the pair locked lips in holy matrimony, Ms Willow beaming as she was wheeled into the room to the melodic croons of John Legend’s song All of Me.

It took the better part of two decades for pair to finally unite as wife-and-wife, and the brides say it was a ‘dream come true’ to have their long-term relationship recognised by the law.  

‘Time is not on our side, so it’s just a dream come true,’ Ms Willow told Seven News.

With Ms Willow undergoing intensive treatment for her cancer which has since spread to her brain, the newlyweds are painfully aware that their matrimony may be short-lived.

There wasn't a dry eye in the room as the pair (pictured) locked lips in holy matrimony, Ms Willow beaming as she was wheeled into the room to the melodic croons of John Legend's All of Me

There wasn’t a dry eye in the room as the pair (pictured) locked lips in holy matrimony, Ms Willow beaming as she was wheeled into the room to the melodic croons of John Legend’s All of Me

It took the better part of two decades for pair to finally unite as wife-and-wife, and the brides say it was a 'dream come true' to have their long-term relationship recognised by the law

It took the better part of two decades for pair to finally unite as wife-and-wife, and the brides say it was a ‘dream come true’ to have their long-term relationship recognised by the law

Ms Willow and Ms Richards (pictured) were granted special permission to fast-track their wedding

Ms Willow and Ms Richards (pictured) were granted special permission to fast-track their wedding

‘To now be able to carry on afterwards and say that she was my wife, and not just my partner, it adds completion to the relationship,’ Ms Richards added. 

The wedding is one of only two legal same-sex marriages held in Victoria since the landmark bill passed earlier this month. 

Ms Willow and Ms Richards’ wedding was fast-tracked because of the couple’s tragic circumstances and friends, family and even strangers helped to raise money for the ceremony.

The pair were given ‘special permission’ to marry from the Victorian government as Ms Willow was given only weeks to live.

The wedding is one of only two legal same-sex marriages held in Victoria since the landmark bill passed earlier this month

The wedding is one of only two legal same-sex marriages held in Victoria since the landmark bill passed earlier this month

'To now be able to carry on afterwards and say that she was my wife, and not just my partner, it adds completion to the relationship,' Ms Richards said

‘To now be able to carry on afterwards and say that she was my wife, and not just my partner, it adds completion to the relationship,’ Ms Richards said

With Ms Willow undergoing intensive treatment for her cancer which has since spread to her brain, the newlyweds are painfully aware that their matrimony may be short-lived

With Ms Willow undergoing intensive treatment for her cancer which has since spread to her brain, the newlyweds are painfully aware that their matrimony may be short-lived

In lieu of wedding gifts, the newlyweds instead asked for donations to the Peter MacCallum Cancer Foundation.

Victoria premier Daniel Andrews bestowed the brides with a $50,000 donation to the foundation.

‘The ceremony was sad and beautiful in equal measure,’ Mr Andrews said.  

Their certificate, the first same-sex marriage certificate printed in Victoria, was hand-delivered to Ms Willow and Ms Richards on Monday night.

Victoria premier Daniel Andrews (pictured)  bestowed the brides with a $50,000 donation to the foundation

Victoria premier Daniel Andrews (pictured)  bestowed the brides with a $50,000 donation to the foundation

In lieu of wedding gifts, the newlyweds (pictured) instead asked for donations to the Peter MacCallum Cancer Foundation

In lieu of wedding gifts, the newlyweds (pictured) instead asked for donations to the Peter MacCallum Cancer Foundation



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