Her husband said it was “always their plan” to marry, but “the kids came along and then life took over”

A woman with terminal cancer married her partner of 33 years from her hospice bed.

With the help of staff at Ashgate Hospice in Chesterfield, England, Karen and Stephen Glossop said their long-awaited “I dos” on July 2, surrounded by their four children and five grandchildren, as well as several other loved ones, per SWNS.

Photos of the emotional moment show Karen, 58, wearing a white dress with a lace jacket as she smiled and held Stephen’s hand. When the two shared a kiss, Karen playfully sprinkled flower petals on her husband’s hand. They also enjoyed a celebratory glass of bubbly.

Karen was diagnosed with cancer earlier this year and moved into hospice care. Her husband, Stephen, 67, said the pair always intended to get married “but never found the time.”

“The kids came along, and then life took over. But it was always our plan,” he explained.

“We’ve been together for 33 years,” he continued, “and this wedding has been a long time coming.”

He described the bittersweet day as “beautiful” and “so special” as he shared his gratitude to Ashgate for helping him and Karen pull off the impromptu ceremony.

“Everyone was astounding, making it all fall into place in just hours,” Stephen said. “I was so glad that we were able to get so many people together at such short notice at Ashgate. Some of our family are away, but we were able to gather 22 guests at short notice, and Karen loved seeing everyone together.”

“It will be something I’ll always remember, and I’ll be forever grateful to the team at Ashgate,” the retired truck driver added.

In addition to hospice staff, a number of local businesses stepped up to make the Glossops’ wedding happen, donating flowers, photographer services, a wedding cake and a spread of food.

“Seeing everyone come together to make the day happen so quickly was incredibly special, and we’re grateful to everyone who gave their time, skills and generosity to make it possible,” said Kayleigh Peacock, a senior staff nurse at the hospice.

Source: https://people.com/bride-with-terminal-cancer-marries-partner-of-33-years-from-her-hospice-bed-12017071