Fast-tracked wedding for terminally ill woman and her partner, who say their marriage will not just be ‘tolerated, but accepted’

This article is more than 2 years old

This article is more than 2 years old

A terminally ill Melbourne woman and her long-term partner are set to make history when they become Australia’s first same-sex couple to legally marry on home soil.

Cas Willow, 53, and Heather Richards, 56, have been together for 17 years, but are in a race against time to marry, as Willow has breast cancer which has spread to her brain, leaving her just weeks to live.

The pair were given the green light to marry on Monday, rather than waiting until 9 January, which was expected to be the first day of same-sex weddings after new laws required couples give four weeks’ notice.

“I don’t even know if I’ll make it to Christmas, let alone 9 January, so they allowed us to get married early,” Willow told AAP on Friday.

Another Melbourne couple, Megan Stapleton and Stephanie Dybal, were given permission to get married on Thursday, because they had organised a non-binding wedding for that date well before laws were passed by federal parliament, and had relatives flying in from overseas.

Willow and Richards got engaged when federal parliament legalised same-sex marriage, rather than having a long engagement or commitment ceremony as it “just wasn’t the same”.

“We are committed to each other, we didn’t need to do a commitment ceremony to prove it. We wanted to do a wedding because it’s equal, it’s legal,” Richards said.

Play Video 1:01 The moment same-sex marriage is made official in Australia – video report

The pair said staff from the Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, where Willow is receiving treatment, suggested they arrange a fast-tracked wedding hosted by the hospital.

Catering, goods and services have all been donated by the hospital’s service providers and contractors.

“We are thrilled to support the celebration of Cas and Heather’s marriage,” the hospital’s chief executive, Dale Fisher, said.

Same-sex marriage: now it's law, when can couples tie the knot? Read more

The couple said it would be an honour and a privilege if they became the first same-sex couple to be married on Australian soil. It would allow their last precious few weeks, or even days, together to be “complete”, Richards said.

“It means our relationship won’t just be tolerated, it will be accepted.”

The couple has asked donations be made to the Peter MacCallum Cancer Foundation in lieu of wedding gifts.