Damien & Roda

When I first met Damien and Roda, I was really struck by how much they laughed. Roda’s joy and love of life truly is infectious and it’s so obvious that Damien just adores her – he looks at her with so much love, it’s enough to make a heart melt. We met at the always fabulous Sunshine Castle, and when I told them that My Wedding Wish would like to gift them a wedding, those beautiful big smiles turned into tears. Their gratitude was palpable.

The couple went to school together, and like many people, lost contact over the years. Eventually, Damien found Roda on social media and the pair met up again. Damien says he was ‘shitting himself’, and it was that infectious sense of humour that Roda fell for and soon after they were an item. The couple chose the Sunshine Castle because they wanted a princess style medieval ceremony with 60 of their closest friends and family who dressed in theme for the day.

Their story is a sad one, and it breaks my heart that it’s happening to such a vivacious young couple who really take so much joy out of every day. Damien was born with cystic fibrosis and was by and large fine until he hit about age 27 and then the condition really started knocking him around. His mother says he was close to death when he finally received a double lung transplant which saved his life. As with any transplant, the doctors put Damien on anti-rejection drugs, which is a common procedure. Sadly, the medication triggered cancer and the doctor’s suggested that he stop taking the medication. The cancer was successfully treated, but now without the anti-rejection medication which the doctors fear could trigger another bout of cancer, Damien’s lungs are now failing – he struggles taking a few steps or walking up stairs.. Doctors are at a loss of what to do for Damien, and his condition is worsening with every day.