Terminally-ill mum marries love of her life in moving ceremony at Chesterfield's Ashgate Hospice

Staff at the hospice pulled out all the stops to make the day extra special for the new Mr and Mrs Birley, Simon and Lindsay.

The ceremony was described as ‘incredibly moving’ despite coronavirus restrictions and was attended by a small group of the Clowne couple’s family and friends, as well as their 19-month-old son Isaac.

Lindsay, who lives with pancreatic cancer, said: “We had such a special day thanks to Ashgate. We had hoped I would be well enough to get married in Chesterfield, but it wasn’t possible so I can’t thank the hospice enough for everything they have done.

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"We’ve been going through some tough times but it was a really lovely day.

“I’d class Ashgate as my second home. My family can’t believe how well I’ve looked since I’ve been here but it’s because my medication got switched around so I’ve been sleeping so much better and shows how comfortable I am.”

Simon told us earlier this year that he wished he could die in Lindsay’s place, as he pledged to marry her after the devastating news that the cancer was incurable.

Anne-Marie Carey, a consultant in palliative medicine on the hospice’s in-patient unit, regularly cares for Lindsay.

“I’m so happy that this special day was able to go ahead and Lindsay, Simon and Isaac were able to have the special day they had hoped for and we all wanted for them,” Anne-Marie said.

Unfortunately, due to Covid-19 guidelines, no reception could take place so instead the hospice’s head chef, Mark Taylor, created a special takeaway wedding breakfast box for each of the guests.

Businesses which helped out included: Blanc & Blanc Occasions, which provided shoes; Fresh Ideas Florists, which provided all the flower arrangements: Natalie Reynolds MUA, who provided hair and makeup services; Weddings by Dragonfly, which decorated the room and Tom Hodgson, who photographed the whole event and captured a memory which the family will keep forever.

Lambs Cupcakes, of Chesterfield, made a spectacular wedding cake which was colour-coordinated with Lindsay’s dress for a fraction of its usual price.

To support the hospice, which has seen its income devastated by the coronavirus pandemic, visit its website.

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