Nearly $50K raised to help dying Toronto man marry sweetheart

Solomon Chau, 26, is pictured with his fiancee, Jennifer Carter.

Nearly $50,000 has been raised in three days to help a cancer-stricken Ontario man marry his fiancée before he becomes too ill for the ceremony.

Solomon Chau, a 26-year-old chef from St. Catharines who now lives in Toronto, was diagnosed with liver cancer late last year. After emergency surgery, he was told he'd return to normal in a few months, but in late March, the pain was back. A CT scan revealed that tumours had grown on his liver and spread through the rest of his body. Chau was told he had months left to live.

He and his fiancée Jennifer Carter were planning to get married in Toronto on Aug. 22.

When friends heard the news, they were determined to see the couple's "true love story" through to matrimony. The group of friends launched a GoFundMe campaign raising money to cover the cost of the wedding and an "unforgettable" honeymoon, matron of honour Samantha Eek told CTVNews.ca.

"We're hoping he will be well enough to go."

The campaign was posted online on Tuesday. Three days later, it was only $5,000 away from meeting its $50,000 goal. With donations ranging from $10 to $1,000, 531 people had contributed on Friday morning, bringing the total to $44,925.

"We are so grateful for the love and support they have received and all those out there willing to help, it is truly amazing when so many people can come together through such a difficult time," Eek said Friday.

Organizer Jordan Nunn wrote that any extra money raised by the campaign will be used to build an education fund for Chau's two young nieces and an annual scholarship in his name.