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A woman with terminal cancer asked hospital staff to help perform a different kind of emergency procedure at Tauranga Hospital last weekend.
Evelyn and Howard Harris told the Bay of Plenty Times they had planned to get married at Greerton's Yatton Park on Saturday, but on Friday night Mrs Harris, 33, became seriously ill and had to be taken to hospital.
At 2.45am friends and relatives, including the couple's three young children, gathered, with flowers borrowed from around the hospital and a pastor attending, to witness a makeshift wedding ceremony.
Mrs Harris was told she had just months to live after being diagnosed with stomach cancer three weeks ago.
Upon arriving at the emergency department her situation became critical.
"The doctors said she might not last the night so we decided to get married then and there," Mr Harris said.
"When we got to the end of the ceremony she opened her eyes and smiled. She turned to me and said: 'I wasn't going anywhere'. It was quite amazing," he said.
After the ceremony Mrs Harris recovered enough be be discharged in the morning - in time to attend the planned ceremony in the park and do it all again.
- NZPA
