Hospital ward arranges wedding for sick patient

A patient at Bassetlaw Hospital proposed to his long-term partner from his hospital bed, and with the help from staff, the couple were married within 48 hours.…

A patient at Bassetlaw Hospital proposed to his long-term partner from his hospital bed, and with the help from staff, the couple were married within 48 hours.

Keith Raisbeck, a patient on the hospital’s Ward A5 since September, decided to mark his 26 year anniversary with partner Christine in style on Saturday, by popping the big question. With baited breath, the Worksop resident received a ‘yes’ and staff quickly rallied to help the happy couple organise their upcoming nuptials.

With the help of Hospital Chaplain, Rev’d Simon Russell, all of the necessary arrangements were made to transform the hospital ward into Bassetlaw’s very own Little White Wedding Chapel, and the couple were wed on Monday 16 October.

Both Raisbecks said: “We want to say thank you to all the staff who, at such short notice, made the arrangements ensuring we had an extra special day.  We are so grateful to everyone who worked so hard to make it happen within 48 hours!”

Ward Manager Tracey Madden, said: “Keith has been a patient on Ward A5 for four weeks and we have got to know him and Christine very well.  They are such a lovely couple and we were so happy to help them arrange their special day.  Staff were so excited to get involved, it was a very emotional and special occasion to watch them say ‘I do’.”

​This isn’t the first time a wedding has been held at Doncaster and Bassetlaw Teaching Hospitals. In August of this year, newly weds Samantha and Craig Sta​cey, with the help of the team, re-enacted their big day for Samantha’s grandmother, Emmy, who was too ill to leave the hospital.