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A care home resident from Bamber Bridge, living with dementia, has celebrated his love with a blessing ceremony.
Kevin ‘Kev’ Button, a resident at HC-One’s Meadow Bank home, and his partner Allison ‘Allie’ Gallacher have been together for over 21 years.
They decided to celebrate their love by receiving a blessing at the home last month.
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The couple met through their love of hockey, Allie explained: “Kev and I met whilst attending a hockey tournament in Llandudno in 1993. We hit it off instantly, getting up to mischief like when we were dancing on the table in Summerland’s nightclub, breaking the chair at Cannock Hockey Club and early McDonald’s trip at York Hockey Club to stave off a hangover.
“He asked me almost every day when we were going to get married, give up your hockey so we can go away to weekends and slow down from work. How I wish I had listened to him.”
The ceremony took place in the gardens at Meadow Bank led by Chaplin Gill Smart, with Allie and Kev surrounded by family, friends, colleagues, and residents.
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Allie added: “Kev’s been in Meadow Bank now for four years and there is not a day goes by when I would have considered not being with him and although there are days when he doesn’t speak to me or tells me to go away as I push him to do his mobility exercises or stimulate his brain with activities.
“He is the love of my life and time together is worth more than anything. This blessing is for him to have memories and on good days a chance to share them with him.”
It was a ‘day to be remembered’ by all of the people who attended the ceremony, with ‘tears of joy’ and smiles all around.
Fizz and nibbles were served, and the happy couple posed for photos cutting their cake.
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Graham Stokes, Director of Dementia and Specialist Service Innovation at HC-One, said: “It was such a joyous experience to be at the Blessing of Alison and Kevin’s relationship. Uplifting to feel the happiness in the smiles and laughter of their family and friends. Well done to Caroline and Team Meadow Bank for showing what is possible when you’re determined to give people the life they want.
“Dementia is devastating but attending the blessing ceremony showed you to never give up hope, that by thinking differently and not being consumed by despair, meaningful happy times are possible. Without doubt, love never dies.”
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