Patient Stories
You never know where life will bring you – but it’s better when you have someone by your side.
Matthew and Nicole Hassett know this to be true better than most couples. Together for more than 12 years, the Hilton couple has three children together. Though they have always intended to get married, life and other priorities kept pushing the wedding aside – despite setting money aside for it.
Things changed quickly this past summer when Matthew started feeling sick – saying he was dizzy, out of breath and his color was off. Nicole asked him a few times to go to the emergency department, but he decided not to go.
“Anything can change in a day,” Nicole said. “We were just going on about our lives and suddenly everything is upside down."
Eventually, Nicole convinced Matthew to go see his doctor, who ordered some blood tests. A few hours after the appointment, Matthew’s doctor called him after looking at the bloodwork and told him they "couldn't believe he was standing."
Matthew had to be driven up to Rochester General Hospital immediately for observation and more testing. Within 48 hours, doctors diagnosed him with acute myeloid leukemia (AML) – a type of cancer that starts in bone marrow and moves into the blood.
Not knowing what would the future would hold for either of them, Matthew turned to Nicole in his hospital bed and asked her to get married. She said yes and ordered a dress online.
"I think he wanted to get married right away to show me how much he loves me,” Nicole said. “It was his way of saying 'we got this.'”
Within a few days, Monroe County Clerk’s Office came to Matthew’s bedside to sign the marriage license for the couple. Nurses and staff helped to find a space for a small ceremony, bringing in an officiant, maid of honor, and best man.
On September 8, the two were married – just 10 days after Matthew had been admitted to Rochester General Hospital. Nursing staff brought in Matthew’s favorite food from the hospital – Uncrustable sandwiches – and juice cups for the people who attended a small reception for the couple afterward.
Matthew will need to stay in the hospital for at least one more month as he undergoes treatment for AML. As a phlebotomist with Rochester Regional Health, Nicole is very grateful to the staff at Rochester General Hospital and her husband’s care team for helping them make the wedding happen.
"I can sleep better at night knowing that his care team at RGH are the people taking care of him. He's not alone,” Nicole said.
