Hospital Throws Surprise Wedding After Cancer Diagnosis

When Aliana Gleason learned she had a rare sarcoma that spread to her spine, she knew she couldn't wait any longer to marry her partner of 11 years. Within 48 hours, the staff at HCA HealthOne Swedish Hospital in Englewood, Colorado made sure she didn't have to.

Aliana and Bailey Gleason had always talked about getting married someday. Like many couples, they kept waiting for the "perfect" time that never seemed to arrive.

Then everything changed with Aliana's diagnosis. Doctors told her they had very limited treatment options for the rare cancer attacking her spine.

When nurses and doctors at Swedish Hospital learned the couple had just gotten engaged, they sprang into action. In only two days, the entire staff organized a complete wedding ceremony inside the hospital, free of charge.

"There isn't always a lot you can do," nurse manager Matt Turrie told 9 News. "But when you can bring love and joy into someone's life, you do it."

Hospital staff decorated a room, coordinated the ceremony, and made sure every detail felt special. They transformed a medical space into a place of celebration and hope.

Sunny's Take

Even while facing painful treatments and difficult news, Aliana kept smiling throughout the planning and ceremony. Her nurses said her strength and positive spirit inspired everyone who met her.

When asked about their hospital wedding, both Bailey and Aliana agreed it was exactly what they needed. "I wouldn't change anything," Bailey told KUSA, with Aliana echoing, "Me either."

The couple's story touched hearts far beyond the hospital walls. Supporters started a GoFundMe to help with expenses as Aliana enters hospice care in Denver, showing how one act of kindness can spark many more.

Sometimes the perfect moment isn't the one we planned, but the one that reminds us what matters most.