Paralysed Wrexham bride-to-be will walk down aisle

Paralysed Wrexham bride-to-be will walk down aisle

A young bride-to-be who was left unable to walk after developing a spine on her tumour has revealed how she hopes to walk down the aisle this month. 

Emily McDermott, of Wrexham, north Wales, put her chronic back pain down to her intense army training, but a scan in December 2016 revealed she had Hodgkin's Lymphoma. 

After 12 rounds of chemotherapy and intense physio, Emily says she's determined to make it down the aisle on two feet when she weds her fiance Olly Hughes, 24, at the end of this month. 

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Emily McDermott, pictured last year before her diagnosis. The 23-year-old military police personnel was told the devastating news that she had cancer in December after suffering from chronic back pain 

Emily has had chemotherapy and radiotherapy to reduce the tumour on her spine and has now been given the all-clear; she says she's determined to walk again when she weds her fiance Olly Hughes, 24, later this month

Emily  was devastated to learn she was suffering from the disease after doctors took blood tests and an X-ray to determine why she was in so much pain. 

The scan revealed the cancer in her lymphatic system had caused a large tumour to press on her spine.

The devastating news came just weeks after the 23-year-old had picked out an ivory lace bridal gown to marry her fiancé, soldier Olly Hughes, 24, on July 29th. 

After medics explained to Emily and her family that there was no guarantee she'd walk again and that chemotherapy would mean losing her luscious brown locks, her family advised her to postp one her wedding.

However, Emily, who works for the military police, was determined to keep her date and, after intensive physiotherapy, is remarkably back on her feet.

She says: 'I'm excited, it's come around so fast. Olly said, "If you want to postpone, you can", but I didn't want to.'

'It was something to work towards, to look forward to. It was my goal to walk down the aisle.' 

Doctors warned Emily that she may not walk again due to the position of the tumour, but the courageous 23-year-old says she's doing everything she can to make it down the aisle on her wedding day

Emily graduating from the army with her parents by her side; she initially put the back pain she was suffering from due to intense army training

Emily, who has just had her final dress fitting, will be saying, 'I do' to Olly in front of 80 friends and family, at Llyndir Hall in Chester.

The couple met in January last year while in the army, based at the same military camp, in Wiltshire.

After hitting it off, they started dating a month later and Olly, originally from Chester, proposed while they were on a day out in Bournemouth last June.

It isn't until you lose the ability to walk that you realise how much you take for granted...

Emily recalled: 'Olly proposed while we were on the beach chatting. He didn't get down on one knee. He just had the ring in his hand. He's a typical lad.'

Emily's mind turned to wedding planning and she recruited mum Sue McDermott, 51, gran Barbara Kelsey, 74 and best friend Abby Jones, 25 to help her find a dress.

However, ongoing back pain dogged her preparations but she assumed it was down to tackling Army obstacle courses.

Emily was prescribed painkillers and bed rest, but they made little difference and so, in December 2016, she went to Salisbury Hospital, where doctors found lots of grape-sized lumps in her neck.

'I was shocked and upset, and thought the worst, not knowing what was wrong and what was going to happen,' she said.

Advised to come back two days later, Emily went home, where she started experiencing a tingling sensation in her legs.

She thought it was a trapped nerve, but, returning to hospital with Olly, her mum and dad Ian McDermott, 56, she stayed overnight, waking to discover she couldn't walk. 

Back pain and a tingling sensation in her legs left Emily fearing the worst...and a cat scan confirmed she was suffering from Hodgkin's Lymphoma

Emily says her dream is to make it on two feet down the aisle and says she's amazed by how far she's come

'I was frozen to the spot. I couldn't move. My legs felt locked,' she said. 'I felt panicked, maybe a little in denial that anything was wrong at first.'

Doctors then broke the news of her diagnosis and confirmed that the tumour on her spine was preventing her from walking.

Emily said she 'expected' the diagnosis, and was 'relieved' something could be done about her agonising pain.

She was told she'd need 12 rounds of chemotherapy and five of radiotherapy but, because the tumour was pressing on her spine, she may not walk again.

Olly proposed while the couple were enjoying a day out at the beach in Bournemouth last June

My rock: Emily says she can't wait to marry soldier Olly at the end of this month

Emily, who has been dating Olly since February 2016, is planning on wearing a specially styled wig for her wedding day

'I was scared I might not walk again. That was unexpected. My doctor said it was a possibility, but I was determined to walk,' she said.

Discharged in late December, following her radiotherapy, Emily returned to hospital fortnightly for chemotherapy and weekly for physiotherapy from February. She was initially in a wheelchair.

But, thanks to daily physiotherapy, she strengthened her muscles enough to walk with a Zimmer frame â€" then progressing to crutches, before getting about completely unaided.

'At first, my legs felt like jelly. I'd lose my balance,' she said.

'It was strange, learning to do something that you don't think about. It isn't until you lose the abil ity to walk that you realise how much you take for granted.'

Due to chemotherapy, Emily's hair began to fall out in early January.

Support: Emily with her mum and dad following the news of her diagnosis

At first, she was upset, but eventually decided to take back control and shave her head.

Her brother Josh McDermott, 24, did the same, to show solidarity.

Now wearing a wig and false lashes whenever she leaves the house, she also has a specially styled wig for her wedding day.

Happily, she was given the all-clear last month, and is now looking ahead to her special day.

Emily, who said she kept motivated during treatment by reading wedding magazines, said: 'I'm amazed when I look back and see how far I've come. Olly has been my rock and I can't wait to marry him.'

Emily is supporting Macmillan Cancer Support's World's Biggest Coffee Morning, along with headline sponsor M&S, on Friday 29th September. To get involved at home or at work, visit www.macmillan.org.uk/coffee 

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