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PostPosted: 12/20/10 2:58 am • # 1 
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Calgary man dying of cancer marries his sweetheart in moving hospital ceremony

 

When Chris Lee and Lisa Lindquist exchanged wedding vows Friday evening, the reverend told the 70 guests that "it was about time."

Indeed, the couple waited more than decade to tie the knot.

But those words -- it's about time -- displayed on the wedding cake, carried a much deeper and more literal meaning for everyone there to witness the joining of two people in love and life.

Chris is dying. His body is ravaged by cancer.

This "elephant in the room" was acknowledged when he and Lisa were married in a moving ceremony at the chapel of the Rockyview General Hospital.

Chris has been at the hospital since collapsing early last month while on a trip to Mexico with a friend.

Though neither dreamed of ever getting married, they decided to pledge their undying love before friends and family, as much for themselves as for others, wanting to share an inspiring message of hope.

"The service was not about the now," says Chris, who turns 44 on Friday. "It's about time. We realize we loved in the past, we loved in the present and we'll love in the future."

"It was about making sure you live your life to the fullest," adds Lisa, squeezing her new husband's hand as they sit together in his hospital room, dubbed the honeymoon suite by the nursing staff who helped make the wedding happen.

Chris and Lisa's love story dates back to 1997, when they met at the courthouse, where Lisa worked as a clerk and Chris was a rising star Crown prosecutor.

The two instantly connected, sharing a passion for life and laughter, and "hung out" as friends before their relationship blossomed into a full-blown romance.

"Our mutual senses of humour pulled us together," says Chris, who has tackled his fight against cancer with the same vigour he showed in the courtroom.

Their shared wit has helped carry them through the tribulations of chronic illness, which began in 1997. That's when Chris was diagnosed with a devastating kidney disease that is believed to have followed an untreated sinus infection.

After an excruciating year on dialysis -- three nights a week while he prosecuted criminals during the day -- Chris was the recipient of a successful kidney transplant in 1998.

In September 2009, after more than 10 years of good health, Chris started to feel run down. A small rash developed on his abdomen. After some tests, he was diagnosed with Stage 4 metastatic cancer.

The prognosis wasn't good, but Chris decided to undergo six rounds of six-hour sessions of chemotherapy, every three weeks. For the good weeks in between, he and Lisa travelled and made the most of their time.

"Chris continues to live in between all of this," says Lisa.

Friends say they've been inspired by the couple's devotion to each other, with their message of time expressed at the wedding still resonating.

"Everybody was in that time, really present," says Donna Price, a longtime friend of Lisa who helped with the whirlwind organization of the ceremony.

"It truly was a celebration of life. And the best part was he was alive while we were celebrating. We were celebrating love and hope."

Price urged others to take from Lisa and Chris' story the message that time is a gift, and not to waste it, especially during the holiday season.

"Take time to tell those people you love that you love them. There might not be that next chance. Take time to live with your heart," says Price.

For their song at end of Friday's ceremony, Chris and Lisa chose the Finale, a song from the closing scene of musical of Les Miserables.

It's a piece depicting the last moments of a man's life and his strength in the face of death -- a powerful and fitting song that Chris says captured that moment in time.

"Cancer is not a death sentence. It's a life sentence."


http://www.calgaryherald....emony/4002281/story.html








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