The mother of an eight-month-old baby has rushed to get married before she dies of terminal Burkitt's Lymphoma cancer.
On April 6 she was diagnosed with Burkitt's lymphoma, a rare but highly aggressive form of cancer. The following day she was induced and gave birth to her daughter.
Since being told the tragic news her father raced against time to arrange his daughter's special wedding day.
Titarakaahu Hika says, "I don’t think there was a dry eye in the whole wedding, she was beautiful. It was just a beautiful moment."
This moment of Josie's life will be cherished by whānau.
But, in a matter of weeks, Josie's health rapidly deteriorated. The wedding, which had been planned for tomorrow, was pushed forward to last weekend when Josie and partner Calais Winikerei tied the knot.
“I knew from our conversation with the doctor in April it's aggressive cancer, He [the doctor] said we were looking at a shorter timeframe. He didn’t say a specific timeframe but he told us 'the more you can get in now, would be better',” Hika said.
Life has been a roller-coaster ride for Josie. Whānau from across the motu came together to fundraise funds for her and are now taking each day as it comes.
"She loves musicals. If she wakes up and says' I want to watch musicals,' we will sit up with her and enjoy those moments," Hika says.