A YOUNG mum who lost her first husband to a brain tumour has found happiness again.
Hollie Wood, from Coventry, was just 23 when her husband Dean died in November 2012 at the age of 27 – seven months after he was diagnosed with a malignant brain tumour.
He left behind Hollie and their young daughter Phoebe.
Heartbroken Hollie slowly began to rebuild her life – even joining an online dating website.
And it was there – on the pages of match.com – that she met and fell in love with Ashley Robinson.
Fast-forward to the autumn of 2016 and Hollie and Ashley are now man and wife, having tied the knot at All Saints Church in Allesley.
They made the decision to incorporate The Brain Tumour Charity’s teal and red brand colours in to their day as a way of remembering Dean and raising awareness.
Hollie said: “Following Dean’s death we opened The Dean Wood Fund with The Brain Tumour Charity in 2013.
“It is a big part of our lives and a way of remembering him.
“I went through a very tough year following that trying to find my identity again and trying to recover from such a tragedy.
“I met Ashley on match.com when I was ready to seek a new friend.
“He was so understanding and embraces our past and helps us to keep Dean’s memory alive.
“I wanted my wedding to mark the start of a new life for us but to also raise awareness and celebrate the memory of Dean we keep safely in our hearts.
“We have many plans this year and next to continue to raise money for The Dean Wood Fund. My new husband hopes to do a sponsored slim.
“My hope is that Phoebe will one day take over and be able to continue to raise money in memory of her daddy.”
Sarah Lindsell, The Brain Tumour Charity’s CEO, added: “Everyone at the charity was hugely touched by Hollie and Ashley’s decision to include our brand colours in their wedding as a way of raising awareness and we are immensely grateful to them.
“Brain tumours are the biggest cancer killer of children and people under 40 in the UK and survival rates have not improved significantly over the last 40 years. It is thanks to our supporters such as Hollie and Ashley that we are able to work towards changing change that.
“We wish Hollie and Ashley the very best and offer them our warmest congratulations.”
