‘Everything went perfectly:’ Woman with a terminal illness reveals she married her childhood sweetheart with the help of the staff at her hospice

A woman with a terminal illness married her childhood sweetheart with the help of the staff at her hospice.

Margarida and Paulo, who did not wish to give their surnames, originally met and dated as teenagers in Madeira, Portugal, where they are from.

However, the couple drifted apart and were only reunited when they met again in London years later.

When Margarida’s illness meant she had to move into the Marie Curie Hospice in Hampstead earlier this month, the couple decided to marry, setting the date for October 27.

Staff helped with preparations, doing Margarida’s hair and nails, while Paulo sourced her dress for the wedding.

The couple exchanged vows in the hospice’s lounge, which boasted spectacular views over London.

‘It was an amazing day,’ explained Margarida. ‘Everything went perfectly.’ 

To make the day even more special, one of the couple’s eight guests baked a cake for the occasion. 

Margarida spent half an hour at the party in her wheelchair as guests tucked into pizza and drank champagne, before returning to her bed. 

Glyn Thomas, senior social worker at the Marie Curie Hospice Hampstead, commented: ‘It was an honour to share Margarida and Paulo’s big day.

‘It was a privilege to be able to bring the whole hospice together in arranging this marriage in what are challenging and difficult times.

‘We were able to make this a memorable day for them whilst still adhering to all the rules around Covid-19.’