Hospital staff grant Neil's dying wish

As Neil Worthington lay terminally ill in Blackpool Victoria Hospital, his greatest wish was that he could marry his beloved partner Kaz Jackson.
Kaz Jackson and Neil Worthington with loved ones on their wedding day, at Blackpool Victoria Hospital.Kaz Jackson and Neil Worthington with loved ones on their wedding day, at Blackpool Victoria Hospital.
Kaz Jackson and Neil Worthington with loved ones on their wedding day, at Blackpool Victoria Hospital.

But with his health deteriorating rapidly, that seemed like a forlorn hope.

However Neil, 46, reckoned without the determination of the team from Blue Skies, the hospital’s own charity which is dedicated to making life more comfortable for its patients.

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Extraordinarily, they managed to organise the wedding in the hospital’s urgent care unit ward in just two hours - including a lovely head-dress and veil for Kaz, two rings, bridal flowers, a photographer, champagne and champagne glasses and a magnificent wedding cake.

Neil and Kaz, from St Annes, were married by Blackpool registrar Dawn Titherington, and the wedding service was attended by a handful of close friends and family.

Sadly Neil, who had suffered cardiac trouble and other problems for some time, died the following morning.

But his final wish had come true and his last moments were with the woman he had made his wife.

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Kila Redfearn, head of fund-raising at Blue Skies, said: “It was a very emotional occasional.

“We had less then two hours to organise something that usually takes months, but we were determined to do it for this lovely couple.

“We would never have been able to do it without help from the nursing staff and the wonderful generosity of local businesses.”