A bride who miraculously won her battle with cancer has walked down the aisle accompanied by the hero doctors who saved her life.
Sheri Shaw, 70, married the love of her life, Bill James, in a heartwarming wedding ceremony this month in New Bern, North Carolina. Walking beside her as she made her way down the aisle were her oncologist and radiation oncologist - the doctors she credits for saving her life.
The couple initially met online and were dating for less than 12 months before Sheri was suddenly diagnosed with rectal squamous cell cancer in late 2020, after having experienced rectal bleeding for several months. She'd had a recent colonoscopy and the results were normal. So, when Sheri explained her symptoms, she says her doctor told her: "It's nothing, it's probably very benign. You don't have to worry about it."
At the time of her diagnosis, she tried to end the relationship with Bill - thinking that her impending cancer journey was about to alter the course of her life - but he refused and loyally remained by her side, TODAY reported.
According to the American Cancer Society, roughly 10,000 people will be diagnosed with rectal cancer in the US this year, which presents itself in the opening at the lower end of the intestines. Some of the symptoms can include rectal bleeding, pain while defecating, and changes in bowel movements (which includes constipation, abdominal discomfort, and unexpected weight loss).
Sheri admitted: "[Cancer] just wasn't on my radar. It totally got me by surprise, even though I'm a medical person. I'm a nurse, and it was still scary for me. It is for everyone."
Eventually, Sheri sought treatment at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, which meant she would have to move from North Carolina to Houston for a few months. It was then that she decided to end things with Bill, thinking it was the most fair decision.
"I said to him, 'It's time to break up. I'm going to deal with cancer and you wanted to go travel, so you go do that.' But he refused. He said, 'Nope. I'm going with you.' He really saved me by going. I really did need the help and the support, and he was there every step of the way," Sheri said.
After receiving two types of chemotherapy from February to April 2021, as well as radiation, it took over a year for Sheri to get her energy back. Bill eventually proposed in January this year, and in February, Sheri's tests came back showing no evidence of cancer.
Sheri decided then that it would be only fitting for her her oncologist Dr. Van Morris and her radiation oncologist Dr. Emma Holliday to walk her down the aisle, saying: "It was a no brainer. I had to have them here. I wanted them to celebrate and see what they actually did for me in real time."
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