A mum was told she had just one year left to live after suffering discomfort for years.
Emma Rice, 32, from Birkenhead, Wirral, stared experiencing heavy bleeding from her vagina and discomfort in February 2021. The mum-of-three visited the GP, who told her the pain was due to her contraceptive coil becoming "misaligned" and "lacerating" her womb.
But the pain intensified, so Emma sought advice from a specialist who revealed the "devastating truth" of stage three ovarian cancer.
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Dava Rice, Emma's husband, said: "The GP was convinced it was the coil. They said, 'you're too young for it to be anything else.'
"But she was so anaemic, she was passing out from blood loss and the pain. The moment the specialist looked at her cervix, she said she had never seen one that looked like that that wasn't cancer."
After Emma was diagnosed with stage three cervical cancer in February 2022, she was referred to Clatterbridge Cancer Centre for treatment. She experienced acute kidney damage after her first dose of chemotherapy, so she went straight into five weeks of radiotherapy, which finished in October 2022.
The couple were hopeful when Emma went for a PET scan in January 2023, but their world was ''shattered'' when they heard the results.
Dava, who first met Emma as a teen and have been together ever since, said: "The cancer had spread. We asked how long she had, and they said about a year - our whole world came crashing down.
"Every day feels like it's going too fast when you've got a deadline. We always dreamed of getting married one day, but we were never in a 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 deteriorating, one of their best friends, Louise, stepped up to help them organise a wedding. She contacted local businesses and was blown away be the response - many of whom donated services for free.
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 no cost. The cake, food and photo booth were free and Action Wedding Videos produced a touching video of the big day.
Emma's family even chipped in and her grandma, Mari Clarke, paid for the rings.
Dava added: "Emma did amazingly on the day even though she was tired. We're so grateful for everyone's amazing support.
"The hospice has been incredible. It's been very tough on the children to see their mum getting sick, but they've been so strong.
"Emma and I are so proud of them and we're making the most of our time left together. It was the best time of my life."
Emma has since gone into St John's Hospice, at Clatterbridge Hospital, Wirral, where she is regularly visited by her husband and their three kids David Jn, 11, Keeley-Mae, 10, and six-year-old Ariela. Emma is determined to spread awareness to other woman around the signs and symptoms of ovarian cancer.
Emma said: "I'm overwhelmed and proud to be part of a community that comes together to help those in need. I have suffered physically in ways that I never knew possible - I have had my life and family taken away from me.
"But if I can raise awareness to save at least one woman from this unnecessarily destroying them and those around them, then I am happy to be in this fight."
List of business who donated to the wedding for free -
- Venue, room dressing, canapés - Izzy and Paul Swift at The Saddle Club
- Stationary - Caroline Chadwick CC creations
- Music - DJ Stuart Bernard
- Photography - Clarity Wedding Photography
- Wedding cake - Gail Weaver & Cameo Cakecraft
- Selfie pod - Cheshire Booth Company
- Audio guest book - The Booth That Rocks
- Groom's car and bride's car - donated by friends
- Sweet treats, ice cream, candyfloss & popcorn from - By Lolly's ice-cream
- Favours - From friend Louise Bell
- Rings - Paid for by Emma's nan Marie Clarke
- Flowers - Paid for and made by Emma's auntie and uncle Heather and Brian Clarke
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