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'I vowed to walk down aisle after cancer diagnosis'

Erin IveyNorth West
News imageMaariya Kahn Maariya Kahn is standing in a field on a summer's day as she smiles at the camera for a selfie. Maariya Kahn
Maariya Kahn was treated at The Christie for a rare type of soft tissue cancer

When Maariya Kahn was diagnosed with cancer at the age of 21, her goal was to walk down the aisle independently on her wedding day.

As part of her treatment, she needed radiotherapy followed by an operation to remove two muscles from her right thigh, which left her with minimal movement.

"My life was on pause, everything just kind of stopped," said the now 24-year-old, from Greater Manchester.

"Being so young, you can't imagine going through a diagnosis like that."

Maariya was diagnosed with alveolar sarcoma, which is a rare type of soft tissue cancer, and was treated at The Christie hospital in Manchester

"[The diagnosis] had a really negative impact on my life," she said.

"Just having to adjust your life moving forwards, with the hospital appointments, the treatment plans, the surgery, everything."

News imageMaariya Kahn Maariya Kahn, who is wearing an embellished red and gold wedding dress with a veil, is walking down the staircase which is decorated with pink flowers.Maariya Kahn
Maariya was married three years after her diagnosis in February 2025

She worked very closely with occupational therapist Debra Jones who helped her to regain her independence after treatment.

As a way to say thank you, she invited Debra - along with physiotherapist Tom Reading- to her wedding in February 2025 so they could watch her walk down the aisle.

"I think for them it's like a success story seeing a patient go through treatment, rehabilitation, overcoming an illness and seeing them walk down the aisle," she said.

"That was a really big thing."

For Jones, watching Maariya walk down the aisle was a really "proud" moment.

"We felt we helped her get there on her journey and we couldn't have been more pleased to be invited," she said.

News imageRoyal Grafix Two women are sat down smiling. The woman on the left is wearing a red and gold embellished dress and has brown hair. The woman on the right is wearing a black and grey dress with ginger hair. Royal Grafix
Debra Jones described it as a proud moment to watch Maariya walk down the aisle

Maariya finished her treatment in November 2023.

She is now back at university training to be an occupational therapist after she was inspired by the work that Jones does.

"When you've gone through an illness, you have a lot more empathy with other people who are in similar positions and that inspired me to make a difference in other peoples lives as well," she said.

"I want to provide the support that Debra provided me.

"No matter what you go through in life you can come out of it in a positive way."

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