A CARE home resident who has terminal cancer celebrated his 32-year anniversary with his wife by watching a movie in a cinema with her… for the very first time.
Bernie Allen, who is in the advanced stages of bowel cancer, got to enjoy a fish supper alongside his wife, Helen, at Cheviot Nursing Home on Friday, before watching one of his favourite films, Blazing Saddles, with her by his side.
Mr and Mrs Allen, aged 75 and 70, also watched the film on what the two expect will be their final anniversary.
Cheviot Nursing Home, whose staff has been looking after Mr Allen, converted a room especially for the two to watch the films together.
The two married on the August Bank Holiday of 1991 and since then the couple, of Broadlands Way, Colchester, have enjoyed decades of married and family life together.
Mrs Allen has five daughters and Mr Allen has two sons, and together the two have 16 grandchildren and seven great grandchildren.
But life for the couple took a turn after Mr Allen was diagnosed with cancer in 2015.
Since then, much of the enjoyment they took from holidaying, cruising, annd attending TV studios and theatres has been taken away from them.
Mrs Allen said: “We didn’t think he would be here – Bernie was told he had 16 weeks to live at Christmas."
“We’ve been living on borrowed time, haven’t we,” added Mr Allen.
The idea for the cinema came about after Mrs Allen was in conversation with one of the carers at Cheviot Nursing Home, who asked her how long she had been married to her husband.
“I was just talking to one of the senior carers and she was asking us how long we’ve been together, and I said 32 years on the August Bank Holiday.
“From there, it’s escalated from that conversation to this – having our own cinema.”
Mr Allen's choice of film? Mel Brooks’ 1974 Western comedy, Blazing Saddles.
“Originally, it was going to be the Greatest Showman, but Bernie said ‘what about Blazing Saddles?’ Mrs Allen explained.
“He changed his mind at the last minute.”
The two had enjoyed so many other past times together, but going to the cinema never occurred to them, but with Mr Allen living as he says, ‘on borrowed time’, now seemed as good a time as ever.
Mr said: “We never expected to get this far – every day has been a bonus, really.”
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