A FATHER is raising awareness for a charity after his daughter was diagnosed with terminal cancer. 

Peter Rodell, 60, from Leece was devastated to find out that his daughter, Vanessa Truman, 36, had cancer of the liver, lungs and adrenal glands.

The diagnosis was made last August after Mrs Truman complained of a pain in the side and a CT scan revealed the awful truth.

To help celebrate her life, the charity, Gift of a Wedding got in touch to offer Mrs Truman a wedding service free of charge.

The relatively new UK charity believes in “fulfilling dreams and creating memories” for people who have a terminal or life-shortening illness.

Mrs Truman decided that she wanted to renew her vows with husband, Paul, infront of their two children, Bradley, eight, and Amy, four.

The service took place in May and Mr Rodell was delighted to see not only close family and friends attend but people his daughter hadn’t seen in years.

Mr Rodell said: "The people at this charity listen to people's stories and they give them a wedding because they know they need a lift.

"It makes those last few days, weeks or months, so special.

"It meant so much to all of us and she just smiled all day.”

Mrs Truman's diagnosis was that bad she originally didn't think she would make it till Christmas.

However after receiving chemotherapy at The Christie in Manchester she found that the cancer had slowed, allowing her to spend more time with her family.

Mr Rodell said: “We don’t know how long she has left, we just face every day as it comes.”

After seeing first hand what Gift of a Wedding can do Mr Rodell became determined to help raise money for it.

He said: "I think this Gift of a Wedding is such a beautiful idea, why have the celebration of their life when that person is already in a box, why not have it whilst they are alive.

"I want to help somebody else in my daughter's position, my intention in life now is to give more than you get.

"The fact that somebody did something this nice for my girl makes me want to do it for somebody else."

Despite trying to stay positive for his daughter there are some days that Mr Rodell finds harder than others.

He said: "One of the hardest things is that she adopted two children because she found out her and her husband couldn't have children. 

"It's just so cruel to find out she has terminal cancer just a few years later.

"I never cry when I am with her we always make sure we are smiling."

Mr Rodell is a member of the Rotary Club of Furness and together as a club they have raised £400 for Gift of a Wedding.

To donate to the charity then please visit giftofawedding.org/monetary_donations  or send cheques to Gift of a Wedding Ltd, Oakdale Court, Mottram Road, Stalybridge, SK15 2QP.

Charity offers very special service 

  • Gift of a Wedding was formed by professionals from the wedding, medical and charity sectors to create a new and distinctive non-profit organisation.
  • The aim is to give people battling a terminal of life-shortening illness a wedding service.
  • The products and services provided by Gift of a Wedding are free of charge.

To apply for Gift of a Wedding you must be:

  • Resident in the UK
  • Over 18-years-old
  • Have an incurable or life-shortening illness
  • Have the desire to marry
  • Be unable to finance and devote the time to organise a wedding