Friends to host charity ball with wedding theme in King's Lynn after husband's cancer diagnosis
Two friends are holding a charity ball with a twist this week, with guests advised to wear wedding attire but no nuptials are planned.
Although the Wedding Day Ball, which will be held at the Dukes Head Hotel on Friday, has a cheerful theme, the idea came about after organiser Louise Jones’ husband Gary was diagnosed with terminal cancer aged 34 in January 2017.
Louise, of Lynn, said: “When Gary was diagnosed we were all devastated beyond belief, and the first few months of treatment were really dark times. We couldn’t believe it was happening.
“We have a very close family and friends network and they have all been totally unbelievably amazing throughout and continue to support us.”
Despite the diagnosis, Gary, who has worked at RAF Marham since he was 16, has “astonished” his doctors with how he has responded to initial radiotherapy and the fortnightly chemotherapy he receives.
Louise said Gary’s first scan, after 12 rounds of chemotherapy, revealed his tumours have reduced in size by almost 70 per cent.
“He’s back to working full time and doing the things he loves to do,” she added.
“He is such a joker, and the life and soul of the party, which is one of the reasons I’m so proud of him. Apart from the hospital appointments, life is pretty normal.”
Tracy Birkin, who has organised the event with Louise, said the idea was first floated when the pair discussed their desire to wear their wedding dresses again.
She added: “We said it would be lovely if we could – if we organised something – but we put it on the back-burner for the best part of a year.”
Tracey, of South Creake, said: “Unfortunately Gary was diagnosed with stage four cancer and we decided that that was enough reason as any to put our wedding dresses back on for good causes.
“So we thought there are a few balls around the area, but nothing on that sort of theme, but we thought it makes a nice change from the norm.”
In the past, Gary has built Tornado fighter jets – which made their final return to RAF Marham last week as they have now been retired – and he is now teaching others to build aircraft and becoming qualified in teaching.
She said: “He goes about his life exactly as he used to really.”
The Wedding Day Ball, to which guests are advised to wear their favourite wedding outfit to the ball, whether it be a wedding dress, a posh suit, a bridesmaid dress or a “sparkly something”, will support two charities, Macmillan Cancer Support and the Norfolk Hospice, Tapping House.
Tracy said the Macmillan nurses are “wonderful”, and, while Gary is not at a stage where he needs to use the services that Norfolk Hospice, Tapping House, offers, should he need to, they have been “great” at explaining what he could use at the facility.
She said a number of individuals and businesses should be thanked, including their sponsors Ward Gethin Archer and Daly Group Ltd, and those who had provided services for the ball for free.
