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

By Isaiah Narciso
Child Leukemia Patient Marries a Nurse

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."

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