Home
Life
Child Leukemia Patient 'Married' a Nurse in New York ‘Wedding Ceremony’: ‘We Sealed the Deal With Ring Pops’

Child Leukemia Patient 'Married' a Nurse in New York ‘Wedding Ceremony’: ‘We Sealed the Deal With Ring Pops’

By Isaiah Narciso 23 Jul, 2015 14:27 EDT

A four-year-old childhood cancer patient has "married" a nurse at a "wedding ceremony" held at a hospital in New York last week.

According to Shannon Luibrand of CBS News, the ceremony happened at the Melodies Center at Albany Medical Center in New York, where childhood cancer patient Abby "married" 29-year-old nurse Matt Hickling. Her Facebook page disclosed that she had Pre-B Cell Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia.

"Our patient shyly asked me to marry her," Hickling wrote on Facebook. "I didn't hesitate to say yes, I got a HUGE hug and we sealed the deal with ring pops being placed on our fingers!"

One of the hospital nurses, Lori Ciafardoni, posted a short video on Facebook of the "wedding" that took place in hospital. She also thanked the people who donated their time and money in this effort.

"Today I got to help make a 4-year-old leukemia patient's 'wedding' to her favorite nurse Matt Hickling happen at the Melodies Center for Childhood Cancers at AMC," Ciafardoni wrote. "Thanks to Scott Wright and the team at the Enchanted Garden for donating your time and amazing flowers and to everyone at AMC that helped pull this together in less than 24 hours. You people are amazing. This is why we go into nursing."

According to CBS News, Abby's mother indicated that her daughter thought it was "the best day ever!" She also wrote that she felt "blessed to have all these people in our lives."

"This day will hopefully be one our patient and her family can always look back on and smile when days are tough!" Hickling wrote on Facebook. "I know I will!"

On the Facebook page dedicated to her daughter's cancer treatment, Abby's mother thought that the hospital had "the most amazing, caring and thoughtful people working for them." She elaborated on the backstory that helped set up Abby's unforgettable day.

"All week, Abby had been telling me that she was getting married this week," Abby's mother wrote on July 16. "I asked her to [whom], and of course she said Matt. They have always had a great connection since the beginning of her [diagnosis]. I asked her when, [and] she said at clinic."

Abby's mother added that she sent a text message to Hickling "to give him a heads up on her cuteness."

"I know the people at the Melodies Center and know their creativity and thoughtfulness, but never expected all of this," Abby's mother wrote. "We are both in awe from today's visit and smiling ear to ear. Thank you to everyone involved in making this day awesome."

Survey: Hong Kong teens generally identify with traditional Chinese cultural values

In order an effort to promote traditional Chinese culture, the Chinese YMCA of Hong Kong, in collaboration with Macao YMCA, Guangzhou Suigang'ao Teenagers Institute, and the Teacher Chang Foundation of Taiwan, has conducted a survey on teens measuring their cultural awareness. They found that Hong Kong youths generally identify with and support the values of traditional Chinese culture.
Global Lutherans celebrate Reformation Day, ‘trusting in the power of grace in a merciless time’.
Yesterday, October 31, was Reformation Day, and Lutherans around the world held various events in commemoration. In Singapore, the Lutheran Church advocated for Christian communion, while the German Lutheran Church encouraged believers to face the challenge of “trusting in the power of grace in a merciless time.”
Many American churchgoers expect their pastors’ sermons to help them understand and address modern cultural issues
American churchgoers are looking for more than biblical explanation from their pastor each week. Many expect the sermons to help them understand and address modern cultural issues.
2.1M Korean Christians estimated at joint worship service to affirm family, oppose gay marriage, pray for nation
In the afternoon of Reformation Sunday, Oct. 27, some 2.1 million Christians gathered for a joint worship service from 2pm to 5pm in Seoul, Korea to “unite for repentance, revival, and restoration of holiness in our society.” According to organizers, an estimated 1.1 million joined onsite despite the bad weather with another 1 million joining online. The unprecedented joint worship service brought together Korean churches across denominations as they affirmed traditional marriage and family and
Willow Creek Community Church invites believers to write prayer cards for the next president
This past Sunday, Willow Creek Community Church based in Illinois invited believers to “pray for the next president” during the service. The church not only expressed its concern for the upcoming election but also emphasized the role believers should play in the process and the importance of offering prayers for the nation's leaders.

Child Leukemia Patient 'Married' a Nurse in New York ‘Wedding Ceremony’: ‘We Sealed the Deal With Ring Pops’

Survey: Hong Kong teens generally identify with traditional Chinese cultural values

Many American churchgoers expect their pastors’ sermons to help them understand and address modern cultural issues American churchgoers are looking for more than biblical explanation from their pastor each week. Many expect the sermons to help them understand and address modern cultural issues.

Survey: Hong Kong teens generally identify with traditional Chinese cultural values

Global Lutherans celebrate Reformation Day, ‘trusting in the power of grace in a merciless time’.

Many American churchgoers expect their pastors’ sermons to help them understand and address modern cultural issues

2.1M Korean Christians estimated at joint worship service to affirm family, oppose gay marriage, pray for nation

Many American churchgoers expect their pastors’ sermons to help them understand and address modern cultural issues
American churchgoers are looking for more than biblical explanation from their pastor each week. Many expect the sermons to help them understand and address modern cultural issues.