Bride-to-be Becky Oatley is making final preparations this week for the big day she thought she may never see.
Two years after being diagnosed with Hodgkin’s Lymphoma, hairdresser Miss Oatley, 20, of Philips Close, Chippenham, will walk down the aisle at St Mary’s Church on August 14 when she marries labourer Ross McCance, 20.
The couple’s dream day will be made even better as they will be joined by their nine-month- old son Noah.
Little Noah was conceived naturally, despite doctors warning Miss Oatley there was a 70 per cent chance that the treatment she was receiving for her cancer would make her infertile.
Miss Oatley, who is currently in remission, said she was in shock when her cancer was picked up following a hearing test.
“I laughed at first, just because I was in shock. Cancer never crossed my mind,” she said.
“I had only been with Ross for three weeks so when I told him I had cancer I said to him I’d understand if he didn’t want to stick around because it’s a lot for a 17-year-old boy to take on, but he said no way, and we went from there.”
At the age of 18, Miss Oatley’s cancer began to spread to her chest and stomach causing her weight to plummet to just seven and a half stone and left her suffering with a heavy cough.
She said: “I looked really gaunt because I’m so tall and I sounded like I was dying.
“That whole first year was just a hazy blur, a lot of it I’ve blocked out because I know it was bad.
“My hair falling out was one of the worst parts, but walking down the hall at the hospital and sitting in that big green chair for chemo was the worst part. But even when I was going through treatment, Ross was amazing.”
Miss Oatley, who has returned to her job at Centrestage hair salon where she worked before falling ill, was over the moon to find out she was pregnant while still receiving treatment for her cancer.
“I looked at the test and saw a faint blue line and I had to do a double take,” she said.
“I just sat there watching the line get darker and I couldn’t believe it. Everyone was absolutely over the moon. I woke Ross up and told him and he thought I was joking.
“I was shocked at first, then happy, then just felt overwhelming fear because the radiation levels can be so high you could miscarriage or it could seriously harm your baby.
“The only question I had for the doctors when I was told I had cancer was: ‘will I still be able to have children?’ and that was the only question I had for doctors when I was given the all clear.
“I’ve always wanted children and I love being a mum to Noah.”
The couple are looking forward to their wedding day and honeymoon in Turkey.
Miss Oatley said: “We’ve been through so much, we’re both in it for the long haul – there’s not much worse we could go through.”
Mr McCance added: “The past two years have been quite difficult, the first part was a bit of a worry, but I’ve always made sure I was there for her all the time and she has battled on through.
“We’ve always known we wanted to marry each other. I’m excited but a little bit nervous."
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