A man who suffered from long-term effects of cancer treatment was discharged just in time for his son's wedding.

Paul Cartwright, 57, from St Albans, was admitted to St Thomas' Hospital in early October suffering from gastrointestinal bleeding due to the long-term effects of cancer treatment many years ago.

Mr Cartwright was hoping to be discharged in time for his 30-year-old son Sam's wedding on October 29 but it became clear he would not be well enough to go home then.

He asked the team on the High Dependency Unit if there was a way he could be there.

Mr Cartwright said: "At the time I was feeling very depressed because I was bleeding and there was no end in sight. All I could do was wait to see if it stopped.

"The weeks I had been in the hospital were clocking up and I became fearful of what my life would like when I eventually went home.

"Things seemed very bleak when Sam’s wedding was approaching."

The critical care team worked hard to put measures in place to make it possible for him to go. They arrange for Dr Adrian Pakavakis, an intensive care consultant, and Linda Cooper, a senior nurse from the critical care response team, to take him to the weeding at Hampstead Parish Church.

Mr Cartwright said: "A couple of days before the wedding, the critical care team told me I would be able to go which was a huge relief.

"It was lovely to see Sam marry his wife Juliet. He was so happy that I was there and it was beneficial for my family, including my wife Sally and younger son Max, that I could be there as they would have felt very bad if I had not.

"Seeing me there was very comforting for them as it made me appear to be less ill. It also meant that Sam felt comfortable going on his honeymoon without worrying about me.

"The day was a good distraction from what I was going through. I stayed for a couple of hours for the ceremony and photos before needing to go back to St Thomas'."

He also said witnessing his eldest son get married was a major life event he would have missed if it had not been for the care provided by the hospital staff.

Mr Cartwright's bleeding stopped shortly after the wedding and he has since been able to go home.