Wedding bells not an uncommon sound in University Hospitals
When Edwin Hipsher was too ill to attend his granddaughter’s wedding, she found a solution: She brought her wedding to William P. Clements Jr. University Hospital.
Mr. Hipsher, 80, was diagnosed with inoperable pancreatic cancer in April. His granddaughter, Kaitlyn, had her complete dream wedding planned for May 6, but chose instead to skinny down the ceremony, change the location to the hospital chapel, and move it up to April 30.
“Kaitlyn said she was not getting married without her ‘Papa,’” said his wife, Janice Hipsher.
The family rallied around Mr. Hipsher and worked with hospital staff to pull off the wedding.
“There was such an overwhelming feeling of love in the chapel. It was wonderful to see him transform from a cancer patient in bed to Papa with his family,” Mrs. Hipsher said. “My husband was in a wheelchair, but he stood up for pictures and wore his black cowboy hat for the occasion.”
“The staff reserved the chapel and brought a gift bag to the bride. All the nurses knew what was happening and wanted to see the pictures afterward,” Mrs. Hipsher said. “Kaitlyn commented that Papa could not have picked a prettier hospital for her wedding venue.”
Mr. Hipsher is now on a course of chemotherapy monitored by his oncologist, Dr. Udit Verma, Associate Professor of Internal Medicine.
Chaplain Services Director Mark Buchanan said that between Clements and Zale Lipshy University Hospitals, UT Southwestern averages about one wedding every two months. About 50 percent of the brides and grooms are patients, and 50 percent are family.
Though the weddings are sometimes held in the chapel, they’re usually celebrated in the patient’s room, because often the patient is unable to be transported to the chapel.
“There are all different circumstances surrounding each wedding, and most of the time the situation is quite touching,” said Katherine Spinks, Administrative Assistant with Chaplain Services.
“We had one recently that was performed by two chaplains so it could be translated into Spanish,” she said. “Sometimes we are able to provide balloons, flowers, or even music – two of our chaplains play the keyboard and also sing beautifully.”
Often, Ms. Spinks said, if there’s enough time to prepare, they work with Nutrition Services, which will provide a cake.
Aside from the chaplains and Nutrition Services staff, there are those who serve as a sort of ersatz receiving line: the caregivers who celebrate with the patient after the ceremony has ended.
Sedina Homenyo, B.S.N., RN, was working on 11-North while Mr. Hipsher’s granddaughter was getting married, but she took care of him just afterward.
“Family members came up into his room after the ceremony and they showed me pictures,” Ms. Homenyo said. “They shared that moment with me. It was so sweet.”
It’s times like those, she added, when people get to see that part of a nurse’s job is to provide emotional as well as physical support.
Ms. Homenyo recalled that Mr. Hipsher was a mix of emotions that evening – mostly happiness and pride, but a few tears, too.
“He was so honored that his granddaughter would go above and beyond for him, to be so thoughtful of her granddad. It was great,” Ms. Homenyo said. “It was really awesome.”
