Terminally ill Christchurch mum shares her wedding dream

  • 05/04/2018

Jessica Gregory wants to create beautiful, lasting memories for her children - because she won't be there to see them grow up.

In 2016, the Christchurch mum-of-two was diagnosed with Stage 4 cervical cancer. After extensive treatment she was told she'd beaten the disease, but on February 22, 2018, a biopsy confirmed the cancer had spread to her lymph nodes.

It's a battle she can't win, and she now has less than two years to live.

When the 27-year-old got the bad news in February, she says her children were the first things that came to mind.

"I turned to my mum, I dissolved into her arms and said 'I don't want to leave my girls'," she told The Project.

Ms Gregory doesn't want her daughters to only remember her being sick. She'll spend the time she has left making sure they have lasting memories of their mum, and plans to take them on holiday.

"I just want to spend it with my family, make memories for my girls because that's all they're going to have. They're not going to have me."

Her biggest ambition is to get married to her partner Phil, who she says is the "love of my life".

"It's something every girl dreams of," she says.

"My dream wedding would be me in a beautiful dress, my girls in beautiful little flower girl dresses, my mum and dad walking me down the aisle, my sisters as bridesmaids. Just everything, the whole nine yards."

The Christchurch community has come forward with many different people offering their services to make Ms Gregory's wedding dream come true. She's still in need of a wedding planner, though - and anyone who can help in this department is urged to contact The Project via their Facebook page.

A Givealittle page has also been set up.

Ms Gregory says her prognosis has changed the way she looks at life.

"I take nothing for granted, live every day as if it's your last because I don't know when is going to be my last."

Newshub.