A love story came out of Teesside Hospice as a former critical care nurse and her Gambian husband celebrated their wedding in the UK with a blessing at the hospice.

On Tuesday, June 4, Lorraine, one of the In-Patient Unit patients, and her husband Madi, held a wedding blessing ceremony with friends, family and former colleagues gathering.

The couple, originally married in Gambia last year, but wanted to share their love and Madi’s faith with their friends and family in England.

Lorraine, was a dedicated medical professional for nearly forty years in critical care at James Cook Hospital and has touched countless lives through her compassionate care.

Her colleagues from the late 90s, many of whom trained with her, gathered to celebrate this joyous event with her.

Lorraine’s brother, Graham, gave a touching speech about her life and the impact she’s had on so many saying: “We’re here today to renew the vows of Lorraine and Madi. It’s the first time that I’ve ever been to a hospice, and Lorraine was very kindly admitted here to the ward.

“Lorraine has been a medical professional throughout her whole career, for nearly 40 years. She’s been absolutely taken aback by the level of care that she has received here, it has been superb. Lorraine herself is a very dedicated nurse, and she loved her work and was highly respected.

“Lorraine has been running a charity in Gambia for the last 10 years, where she has helped thousands of children in Africa. She has clothed them, educated them, given them medical treatment, and that’s how she met Madi, through a village called Choya in Africa.

“She has cared for many, many hundreds of children who have absolutely nothing. She met Madi, got married to him in Gambia last year, and has dedicated her life both to the care of patients, the children of Choya, and to Madi, her new love.

“The most important thing for me is the care and dedication that everyone is showing to her. It means so much, and the staff have been so helpful, friendly, and the medical care is second to none.

“It is a great accolade to you for all the work that you do, it has been absolutely superb, and I’m very touched by what you have all done for Lorraine, as she doesn’t deserve anything less. So thank you, to all of the staff, for what you have done for Lorraine.”

Lorraine expressed her gratitude to all her friends and family in her ceremony speech: “I’m so happy that you are all going to be here until the end, and I will keep fighting for you all.”

Madi also shared his thoughts on the day, reflecting on their long journey together: “I’m just really happy, me and Lorraine have known each other for nearly eleven years, so I’m really glad to be able to come into the hospice with her.

“She is so well looked after and is in such good hands. I really appreciate everybody who has come and shown love and support, to help make her feel like she’s at home. She is so safe here, and I just want to say thank you to everybody.”

This ceremony wasn’t just a blessing of marriage, but a celebration of Lorraine’s remarkable life and the love she has shared with Madi, her colleagues, and the children she’s helped in Gambia.

The hospice added that it would like to thank everybody who was involved to make this beautiful day possible, from Lorraine’s family and friends to their dedicated staff.

They also thanked the charities supporters saying: “Your support, love, and care continue to make a significant difference in the lives of our patients and their families.

“Our staff continually go beyond the ‘extra mile’ ensuring that each patient and their loved ones feel comforted, cared for, and cherished at the hospice.”

Teesside Hospice are here to support those living with a terminal illness and their families but can’t do so with the support of the community as they only receive a small amount of support from the NHS.

To see how you can support the hospice visit their website here