exiting the wedding bride and groom

Health care alums tie the knot, donate flowers to hospitals

September 12, 2021

Spider Pride

Haleigh and Joe McCahon met as students on the University of Richmond campus, graduating in 2017. When it came time for their wedding, they decided to tie the knot here, too.

Haleigh is a fourth-year medical student at the University of Maryland School of Medicine, and Joe is an orthopedic surgery resident at Jefferson Health New Jersey. They wanted their special day to have an impact on the community and decided to donate their flowers to hospital patients in the area. 

“Getting married on campus was truly a dream come true,” Haleigh said. “We were so grateful that the magic of our day and the beauty of our flowers could be shared with patients to help brighten their hospital stays.”

The McCahons partnered with The Simple Sunflower, a Richmond organization started by medical students that repurposes flower arrangements for local patients. The group picks up the flowers from the event venue, and reassembles them into bouquets for patients in hospitals throughout the region.

Haleigh hopes other couples will be inspired to donate their flowers as well.

“Because we both work in hospitals every day, we have seen first-hand how simple acts of kindness can go such a long way for patients in the hospital,” she said. “Richmond will always hold a special place in our hearts. Joe and I fell in love there, and we are grateful to share our wedding day flowers with patients in a community that is so close to us.”