Alfred ICU Nominated for Pride of Australia Award
Toni Carroll married Jesse Welsh at the Alfred Hospital
The Alfred ICU was nominated for The Herald-Sun's Pride of Australia award, recognizing the enormous effort in pulling together a wedding for patient Toni and husband Jesse. This is the first time a wedding has happened in ICU.
Toni, mother of two, was facing an unimaginable fight: heart failure and stage four Hodgkin's Lymphoma. When long time partner Jesse popped the question, nurse Mary Fox jumped into action and put the word out asking if anyone wanted to organise a wedding.
Within half an hour she had 150 helpers, and they were determined to give the young couple a celebration they would never forget.
Patient experience nurse, Paul Leonard, who helped co-ordinate the day, said it was extremely touching to be a part of.
"ICU isn't typically a happy place - everyone there is seriously ill... and to be able to do this type of thing and make someone so happy was amazing."
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The Alfred ICU team who were nominated for going above and beyond their duties in helping to organise the wedding.