Strangers have banded together in a bid to give a terminally ill 31-year-old the wedding of her dreams before cancer takes her life.
Alycia Bates, 31, from Melbourne, was told she was simply suffering from ‘vertigo’ before a scan revealed a deadly 5cm tumour in her brain.
The cancer is ‘stage four’ – and can’t be treated – and now Alycia has no idea how long she has left.
Devastated Alycia tried to make her boyfriend, Mark, leave her after her heartbreaking diagnosis – because she didn’t want him being ‘held back in life’.
But he refused and proposed to her on her 31st birthday – and now strangers are determined to give the pair a memorable wedding day.
‘I have learnt that life is short, don’t wait around for things to happen, go after what you want and the most important thing we have to give is our time, spending time with loved ones is most important,’ Alycia said, urging others not to ‘get caught up on the little things’.
‘Almost everything can wait until tomorrow so why bother stressing now,’ she said.
‘Taking the time to enjoy life, not work so hard, go on holidays, create memories and have fun is paramount.’
A GoFundMe page – proposed by John Parker Events, which has gifted Alycia a free hens’ night – has been set up by Alycia’s friend Krystle Moyle who described her as ‘kind and compassionate’ and a person who ‘has never asked for anything before in her whole life’.
‘We are aiming to raise $30,000 to allow Alycia to have the most fantastic and magical day imaginable, with any additional proceeds or over-funding being donated directly to cancer research charities,’ Krystle explained.
Tragically, Alycia’s symptoms were dismissed four times by doctors – despite the fact she was struggling to write a shopping list and was experiencing fainting fits and hazy memory.
She urged others not to let anyone discredit symptoms they are experiencing.
‘Be tough, precise and thorough and be persistent if you feel you’re being ignored,’ she said.
‘If we can bring awareness to this dreadful disease, and a potential cure, I would be happier,’ she added.
You can donate to Alycia’s wedding here
