Four-year-old cancer patient 'marries' her favorite nurse

ByRachel Schwartz WLS logo
Friday, July 17, 2015
The happy "newlyweds," 4-year-old Abby and her favorite nurse, Matt Hickling.
creativeContent-Lori Ciafardoni

The medical staff at Albany Medical Center in New York made a little girl's dream come true this week when they helped 4-year-old Abby, who is battling leukemia, "marry" her favorite nurse.

Abby had told her mom about her intentions to marry Matt Hickling, one of the nurses at Melodies Center for Childhood Cancer and Blood Disorders at AMC. When Abby's mom shared her daughter's plan with Hickling, he sprang into action. The medical staff got a cake, found a "tuxedo" for Hickling to wear, a local florist donated flowers, and a wedding ceremony was organized in 24 hours.

When Abby arrived for treatment for her acute lymphoblastic leukemia on Thursday, her fairytale wedding was waiting for her. Abby was walked down the aisle by her mom and her physician Dr. Jennifer Pearce officiated.

"Our patient shyly asked me to marry her. I didn't hesitate to say yes," Hickling wrote on Facebook (with Abby's mom's permission).

Abby and Hickling exchanged Ring Pops before heading off in a toy car decked out with a "Just Married" sign and tin cans attached to the back. "Well I pushed," Hickling wrote.

"I think it's rare that there is a feel good story that touches people so purely with goodness," nurse Lori Ciafardoni, who helped plan the impromptu nuptials, told ABC.

Abby said it was "the best day ever," according to Hickling.