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Minutes after he found out he had terminal pancreatic cancer, Chris Clark, 41, proposed to his girlfriend Charlotte, 30, who then organised their wedding in just 10 days. Chris, who is a photographer, was given just six months to live, but is still going strong eight months later, defying the doctors’ predictions. With the help of family and friends, Charlotte organised the wedding venue, car, cake, dress and bridesmaid dresses in less than two weeks after hearing her husband-to-be’s condition was terminal and that there was nothing the doctors could do. She had made an online scrapbook of her dream rural wedding months before his proposal, so already knew had the plans for the magical day in place so could more easily make a speedy turnaround.

Chris was diagnosed with a rare form of pancreatic cancer that had spread to his stomach in July 2012, but did not find out it was terminal until October 2013. He was examined and diagnosed by medics at Warwick Hospital after experiencing pains in his side, which got worse, along with tiredness and loss of appetite, whilst on holiday.

The couple, from Offchurch in Warwickshire, were sitting in a hospital waiting room in a state of shock after being told the awful news when Chris turned to Charlotte and popped the question.

Chris said: “I already knew I wanted to be married to Charlotte so when they said it was non-curable I knew what I was going to do.

“When I was told the news it was like an explosion, I felt deaf and a bit disorientated. I just got up and walked out as they said I've got to have more tests.”

The couple’s family and friends were told the bad news before being told the good news about the imminent wedding.

Chris and Charlotte, a social worker, met each other at a wedding six years ago.

“Our engagement was always going to happen, it was only a question of when,” added Charlotte.

Chris considered a quick register office marriage, but Charlotte was hoping for something a bit more extravagant – a rural church wedding like she’d been planning on her online scrapbook for six months.

“Even though Chris hadn't asked me yet I would save links and pictures in a folder on my tablet that I would want in my future wedding”

'When we decided to do a wedding in ten days the preparation I had done was a God-send, and made things lots easier.

'We were lucky as loads of family and friends have businesses that are involved in weddings in someway.

“Chris's brother has a marquee business, we have a friend who is a photographer and another who is a florist. The wedding more or less planned itself!”

“The whole day was just how I had dreamed.”

Chris and Charlotte tied the knot on the 6th October 2012 at St Gregory’s Church in Offchurch, after friends, family and local businesses rallyed around to give them their dream wedding in just 10 days.

100 guests attended the ceremony, including Chris’s children from a previous marriage, Connor, Logan and Sennen.

Charlotte said: “It was amazing. It was everything I wanted and more.”

Chris started his grueling cancer treatment after the wedding. He did not know about the risk of his hereditary type of cancer because he is adopted. He has already survived longer than the average life expectancy of for this kind of cancer which is just six months.

Charlotte added: “We are all hoping and praying the cancer hasn't grown. We're trying to live a normal life and we are very pragmatic about the future.

“We count our blessings every day. We keep thinking it could be ten times worse. Chris is feeling pretty good at the moment so we're making the most of that. He's my inspiration.”

On June 30th, Charlotte is taking part in Race For Life, where she, along with 4000 other women, will run 5K to raise money for Cancer Research projects. Chris is going along to Race For Life to support Charlotte and cheer her over the finish line.

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