A mum with months to live felt like a “princess” after her community rallied together to throw her the perfect wedding. Emma Rice, 32, married childhood sweetheart Dava Rice, 34, on April 29, 2023, after local businesses donated the venue, cake, cars, DJ, and photographer for free.
The wedding day was organised just months after Emma was diagnosed with stage four terminal ovarian cancer in January 2023. Her symptoms began in February 2021, when she started experiencing heavy bleeding from her vagina and discomfort.
Medics thought her contraceptive coil had become dislodged but further examinations of her cervix revealed the ''devastating truth''. Despite undergoing chemotherapy and radiotherapy, the cancer spread, and Emma was told she had around a year to live.
Emma's best friend, Louise Bell, 29, a teaching assistant, helped organise "the perfect wedding day" with the help of family and friends. Emma has since gone into St John's Hospice, at Clatterbridge Hospital, Wirral, where she is regularly visited by husband Dava and their three kids David Jn, 11, Keeley-Mae, 10, and six-year-old Ariela.
Newly married Dava, a warehouse operator, from Birkenhead, the Wirral, said: “It was the best time of my life. My heart hasn't moved past that day - I'm still living it now.
"She finally got the day she deserved. We couldn't have done it all with Louise's help - she was incredible and we're so grateful.” Emma, who used to manage the Claughton Village Sunbed Shop, added: "The wedding day lived up to my expectations and went beyond what I thought was possible. I felt like a princess on the day."
Emma and Dava first met as teens through friends, when she was 16 and he was 17, and have been together ever since. The mum-of-three visited the GP with symptoms in February 2021, 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. Dava 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." Emma was diagnosed with stage three cervical cancer in February 2022 and referred to Clatterbridge Cancer Centre, Liverpool, 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 2021. 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 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 friend’s, Louise, stepped up to help them organise a wedding. She contacted local business and was blown away be the response - many of whom donated services for free.
The venue was 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."
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
