On February 27, 2023, Belva and Nick will gather with family and friends to renew their vows and to celebrate a love story that has flourished in the face of sickness and struggle.

Belva and Nick first met in 2009 in Wilmington, IL. Belva was bartending at the time and Nick happened to walk into her bar. She was immediately taken with him but he ended up leaving before she could get his name or number. Months passed before she saw him again. He came into the bar and they chatted for the whole evening before going out on the town together. From that night forward, they were inseparable. Before long, they moved to Bradenton, FL and were married on the 4th of July a year later.

In 2012, Belva started experiencing some pain in a lump in her breast. She’d had the lump checked out previously and was always told that it was nothing to worry about. Sadly, however, a mammogram and biopsy revealed otherwise. She was diagnosed with stage 3 breast cancer. She underwent surgery, chemotherapy and radiation and was thrilled when she was able to achieve remission.

This past October, however, Belva went to the hospital with intense pain. While she initially thought it was a kidney stone, tests revealed the worst. The cancer had spread to her lungs and bones. She is actively receiving treatment and is trying to remain joyful and positive, despite constant fatigue and side effects.