Turnhout (Brussels Morning Newspaper) – At AZ Turnhout, oncology nurses organized a heartwarming wedding for a cancer patient, including dress fittings in the hospital and a celebration of love.
They helped with the preparations and waved her goodbye on the day itself.
“I am very proud of my team, that we meant something for that patient,”
Says head nurse Ann Vanbel.
“We had a patient who had been hospitalized with us for a while and who really wanted to get married,”
Says Vanbel.
“We were able to help prepare that as a team and start the day. Everyone on the team was looking forward to it.”
Head Nurse Ann Vanbel said that they pushed the disease into the background, for example by taping the stomach tube well so that it was not visible.
It started with choosing a wedding dress.
“The patient was too weak to go to a wedding shop, so it was arranged that she could choose her wedding dress in the hospital. We provided mirrors and the people from the wedding shop came here to let her try on dresses.”
On the day itself, we decorated her room and waved her goodbye. Then she was picked up by a taxi, got married at the town hall and then went for a meal with the family. Then she was brought back here.
The patient was extremely grateful to everyone on the team.
“She had been working towards it for a long time. She had practiced well with the physiotherapist to stand up straight, and we pushed the disease into the background, for example by taping the stomach tube well so that it was not visible.”
Ann Vanbel, head nurse oncology department AZ Turnhout, Belgium, said that they were very happy that she came out of the room beaming and that they had the feeling: this is going to be her day.
There were also some nerves involved. She said that for the team, that was a joyful event, because there was some tension: ‘how is it going to go?’
“We were very happy that she came out of the room beaming and that we had the feeling: this is going to be her day. We wanted her to enjoy that day. Afterwards, we were also allowed to see the wedding photos and the couple treated us to treats.”
How did the nurses at AZ Turnhout make the wedding day special for the patient?
By setting up a wedding dress fitting right in the hospital, the nurses at AZ Turnhout made the cancer patient’s wedding day extra special by enabling her to look on gowns without having to travel to a boutique.
Despite her health issues, this considerate act allowed the patient, who was receiving treatment, to enjoy the happiness and excitement of getting ready for her wedding.
During a trying moment, the nurses helped to improve the patient’s mood and make her wedding day special and meaningful by fostering a loving, encouraging environment.
They transformed the hospital environment into a haven of joy and optimism by providing emotional and social assistance in addition to medical care.
