The Mendoza Wedding
Nancy Mendoza was the mother of four young children. When her courageous battle with cancer was nearing its end and Nancy went on hospice, her greatest wish was one of pure love – to marry her childhood sweetheart.
In a small ceremony at a nearby courthouse, Nancy Mendoza married her long-time sweetheart Juan surrounded by their four children and close family. To the outside observer, the event seemed like a typical wedding; however, this special occasion was extraordinary as Nancy is a Silverado Hospice patient. This wedding was one of several wishes that the Silverado team was able to help Nancy and her family achieve.
Nancy and Juan met as teenagers at a family party where she shyly gave him a valentine’s heart candy with the words “Will you marry me?” on it. “I told my sister he was going to eat the candy and not take me seriously”, Nancy explains. But in fact, Juan held on to that piece of candy until it literally dissolved over time. Ever since then, Nancy and Juan have been inseparable, growing to become best friends and eventually partners.
Growing up, Nancy was extremely family-oriented and enjoyed spending time with her loved ones. To this day, family is still most important to her – a key value that she is passing down to her children in this difficult time. “Family comes first all of the time, whatever you are doing, you drop it and help your family,” shares Nancy.
The Mendoza family’s strength and unity is evident during this hardship. Each family member pitched in to help organize the couple’s wedding, dedicating their energy and time to make this wedding possible. Her Aunts even surprised her with intricate hand-sewn dresses for her and her daughters.
The Mendoza family has grown to now include their Silverado care team.
A referral brought them to Silverado and for Nancy’s mother, Diane, it was such a relief. “There are no words to say, Silverado has embraced the entire family and not just a patient,” Diane explains. While the Silverado team has successfully helped Nancy achieve her wishes, they continue to look to the future, maximizing the entire family’s quality of life.