Most couples vow to love each other through sickness and in health, but this bride and groom gave those words a deeper meaning when they tied the knot following a stage 4 cancer diagnosis.
Nako Chung, 30, has been fighting colorectal cancer since it was discovered in October 2023, when it was stage 3. She has undergone surgery and multiple rounds of chemotherapy, but one thing remained constant—the dream of marrying her partner, Kevin Koo.
Koo, 30, from Los Angeles, California told Newsweek that it's been "one of the hardest battles," but they weren't going to let cancer stop them from becoming husband and wife.
"Nako was determined to make this happen. Prior to the wedding she completed 12 rounds of radiation, two different chemo drugs, and a clinical trial. We were doing everything we could to try and find an answer," Koo said.
Unfortunately, after having a colon resection to remove the tumor, followed by chemotherapy, Chung's pain returned. The treatment wasn't working, and another surgery at the end of October 2023 revealed that the cancer had spread significantly, putting her at stage 4.
With her health deteriorating, the couple "don't know how many days" Chung has left, but their wedding was a milestone she wanted to reach—and last month she shared a video of the special day on TikTok, which has gone viral.
Koo continued: "She was in great health on the wedding day. Unfortunately, she lost a lot of her ability to walk due to one of her tumors hitting her spinal cord. But, as always, she showed true strength and determination."
The Diagnosis
Chung started suffering stomach pains in August 2022, but Koo said that doctors "wrote it off as nothing." In 2023, Chung's pains escalated and she was hospitalized with an infection. She finally had a colonoscopy at the start of October that year, which led to the cancer diagnosis.
In 2020, there were 126,240 new colorectal cancer cases, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Of the diagnoses between 2016 and 2020, 33 percent were discovered at a localized stage, meaning the cancer hadn't spread beyond the colon or rectum. If the cancer is found early, there is an 88 percent survival rate, but that drops significantly the later it is diagnosed.
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Colorectal cancer is more prominent in men than women, as the American Cancer Society suggests that it affects 1 in 23 men, compared with 1 in 25 women.
Although the death rate has dropped in recent years, colorectal cancer is still the second leading cause of cancer related deaths for men and women, with a predicted 53,010 deaths in the U.S. in 2024.
Making It to the Big Day
There were so many times when Chung and Koo did not think they would make it to their wedding, not least because it was in Japan and they weren't sure if Chung was strong enough for the flight.
But the couple, who met in high school and reconnected years later, were determined to make it down the aisle, and around 90 friends and family flew from the U.S. to be with them on their momentous day on December 23, 2023.
Chung walked down the aisle using a walker that her bridesmaids decorated by hand, using leftover material from her dress and covering it in flowers.
"I was able to really take in the moment, and seeing everyone I love in one room was so special. It was one of the best days of my life and everything worked out so perfectly," Koo told Newsweek.
"Life really is so short and precious. We're extremely grateful to not only have such incredible family and friends, but also those who've gone the extra mile to try and help with Nako's battle."
In April, Chung shared the video of the wedding to her TikTok account @nakochung and it instantly went viral, amassing over 2.5 million views and more than 272,300 likes since.
It has also gained more than 3,800 comments, with many people wishing Chung well and congratulating the happy couple.
One TikToker said: "Cancer always takes the most precious and beautiful people. Fight hard to beat this. You're surrounded by all the love you have."
Another person wrote: "The most beautiful bride I've ever seen."
While one said: "I would cry non-stop if I were there."
The couple never expected to generate so much attention and have been heartened by the support they've received—and they hope that Chung's shock cancer diagnosis will empower others to listen to their body and persist if something's not right.
Koo said: "Cancer can impact anyone and it's important to advocate for yourself. Nako was healthy prior to her diagnosis, with no family history. Even during her reoccurrence, we should have gotten a second opinion sooner. There's no harm in being sure when it comes to your health—you must listen to your body."
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