A YOUNG fireman who was diagnosed with lung cancer only a few weeks ago, and is in Plymouth's Derriford Hospital fighting for his life, has married the girl of his dreams in a moving bedside ceremony. Rob Bendelow (27) wore his red Cornwall County Fire Brigade shirt to marry 20-year-old Gemma Collins last Friday – just 18 hours after she popped the question at 11pm the previous evening. And in a touching gesture, staff on Brent Ward – where Rob has been receiving both chaemotherapy and radiotherapy – pushed two beds together in the room opposite his side ward, to make it into a 'honeymoon suite' for the one night. They put rose petals all over the beds, dimmed the lights, supplied romantic music and put champagne on ice. Gemma, who is known as Gems and works behind the bar at Smokeys in Liskeard, had been going out with Rob for about ten months and she says they had already talked about getting married one day as they 'love each other to bits'. But Rob's sudden illness has meant that every day spent together as man and wife is now very precious. After Gems proposed, her mum, Cathy Collins, bleeped the hospital chaplain immediately, and he arrived at Rob's bedside within 20 minutes to talk to the couple and discuss how the ceremony could be planned. 'It was a whirlwind wedding,' said Cathy, 'not what Gems' dad Andy and I had envisaged for our daughter, but it was a very special moment. 'Gems was a beautiful bride and Rob was very proud. It was an emotional time but also a very happy one.' 'Friday had been spent in a frenzy sorting out the ceremony so it could go ahead and we went out on a frantic shopping spree to get everything we needed. 'We measured Rob's finger with a piece of string so we could buy him a wedding ring, and it fitted perfectly.' Gems' sister Kelcie (13) did her hair for her and the tight schedule meant there were only 15 minutes for the bride to get ready! Her brother Kyle (15) was also there and among Rob's close family were his mum and dad, Bill and Elaine, together with their respective partners Eileen and Jim, and two of his brothers, Gary – who acted as best man – and Paul. He also has a toddler brother Josh. The couple married at 6pm surrounded by 25 family members and close friends. Gems wore a turquoise gypsy style skirt and white strapless bodice and carried a small white bouquet as she was escorted down a hospital corridor by her dad to the day room on Brent Ward where Rob was waiting for her. Hospital staff had taken oxygen into the room so Rob could be taken there in a wheelchair. Although he grew up in Dobwalls, working as a welder and also making double glazing, Rob moved to Liskeard last June when he joined the fire brigade, and on his second shout he found himself answering to the Boscastle flood emergency. His dad, Bill Bendelow, has been speaking of how much his son loves the brigade and that his fellow firefighters are visiting him in hospital all the time. 'He tries to be cheerful for everybody else which is typical of him,' he said. 'He is putting up a brave fight. I have told him now he is a married man with responsibilities he has to get better to look after his lovely wife.' During the ceremony, Rob, who begins another course of chaemotherapy on Monday, was able to remove his oxygen mask just long enough to say his wedding vows with Gems. Among the words were: 'I will laugh with you when you are happy, and comfort you when you are sad, whatever life may bring, we will always love each other.'