Fairytale wedding for couple battling terminal cancer
Twenty-eight individuals and organisations contributed to making this couples dream come true by sponsoring every detail of the fairytale wedding day
Not a single eye was dry on Friday afternoon at Dolphins Corner in Pomona when Lezelle (35, née Van Eyssen) and Francois (33) Odendaal vowed their love to each other at an intimate all expenses paid wedding ceremony.
But this was no ordinary wedding.
Twenty-eight individuals and organisations contributed to making this couple’s dream come true by sponsoring every detail of the fairytale wedding day.
Last year January, Francois was diagnosed with metastic squamous cell sweat gland cancer, and has since lost 27kg and undergone various operations and chemotherapy.
The terminal cancer has now spread to his liver.
The two love birds have been together for 12 years and have a son (1) and daughter (3).
His wife has been taking care of him and the children and the hospital visits and medical bills have put a financial burden on the family.
The couple’s touching story was sent to cancer survivor Talana Lopes, who runs an NPO called Momma’s over Matters. She couldn’t wait to help.
“I received an email about Francois and Lezelle and their wish to get married before Francois gets too weak to even attend the wedding. Cancer is a cause very close to my heart. I lost my mother due to cancer and I myself had stage four thyroid cancer last year,” she explained.
Lopes said she had been very scared to organise the wedding as she feared it wouldn’t be a success.
After getting the email, she shared the story on social media and within two hours she had received an overwhelming response from individuals and organisations that wanted to contribute to the day.
“We did it. Within five weeks a fairytale wedding was planned and sponsored by companies and individuals in Kempton Park. I must say that all the hard work, long hours and emotional roller coaster was worth it. To see the love between these two and their gratitude towards us for the wedding, made everything worthwhile.”
Momma’s over Matters was founded in 2011 and is an organisation that helped the less fortunate, explained Lopes.
“We put together and distribute food parcels, second hand clothes, stationary and blankets around the East Rand,” she added.
Francois, who went from 74kg to 47kg, cannot stand or walk for extended periods.
Yet on the day he made an added effort to stand for a few minutes and await his blushing bride as she walked down the aisle before taking a seat in his wheelchair as the minister proceeded to wed the two.
Eighty per cent of his lymph nodes are cancerous and emergency radiation had been planned to stop the tumours from bleeding excessively.
The couple was very grateful to everyone who contributed putting together their special day.
“Words can never describe our appreciation towards Talana and every single person who contributed and made sure that our wedding day was picture perfect. Thank you for making our dream a reality. We are proud to be part of the Kempton Park community. Without them, this wedding would never have happened. We also appreciate the support from our family on a monthly basis so much,” said Lezelle.
Francois thanked Talana for the amazing job and also thanked his wife for her support.
“My best friend is now my wife, after 12 years. Thank you to my wife, Lezelle Odendaal, for taking such great care of me and our two little ones. I don’t know how she does it but she is constantly busy and still makes time for me and the kids. She is the most positive and most caring person I have ever met and the best mom and wife anyone can ask for.”
