23-year-old Joanne Coleman who married the love of her life after being told she only had one year to live has passed away.
She walked down the aisle toward her soulmate Josh in front of more than 170 teary-eyed family and friends months after doctors said her illness had become terminal.
It was in 2016 when she was diagnosed with Squamous Cell Carcinoma, a rare form of skin cancer.
Joanne had only been complaining of headaches that year. “Doctors said it was just an infected wisdom tooth and that the worst case scenario was that it would be cancer,” she told Daily Mail Australia.
“He said they would do a biopsy but he really didn’t think it was anything too serious.” But two weeks later, she received the heartbreaking news.
When she was told that her sinus, an eye and half her mouth would have to be removed because of a kiwi fruit-sized tumor, Joanne went into the operation with a positive attitude.
“I would still be the same on the inside,” she expressed.
But in 2017, the cancer returned. She told Josh at that time: “I won’t be around for the wedding.”
The couple tied the knot and they spent five precious months together as husband and wife.
My Wedding Wish, a charity group that gifts ceremonies to terminally ill people, announced the heartbreaking news to the community.
“We love what we do but days like this are the flip side of our work where the pain of death and loss and heartache take over,” the organizers wrote on Facebook.
“This morning beautiful Joanne lost her battle with Squamous Cell Cancer. She was only 23.
“Jo and Josh married in a gorgeous loved up wedding in Brisbane last November. Our hearts go out to her husband and family. The world just dimmed a little.”
Josh’s sister shared her condolences and said his wife had been ‘beautiful and strong until the end.’
“She has shown me what the meaning of inspiration really is. The love I have for her and my amazing brother can never be described in words,” she expressed.
Our thoughts and prayers are with this family during this difficult time.
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Replaced!