THE man who launched the fight for a life-extending cancer drug to be prescribed on the NHS has died just three hours after marrying his fiancée.

Last night tributes were paid to Stephen Dallison, the kidney cancer sufferer whose case led to a campaign which ultimately saw the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (Nice) order Oxfordshire Primary Care Trust to pay for Sunitinib.

Mr Dallison, 35, and his fiancée Olivia Glover, 27, had planned to marry this summer but his health rapidly deteriorated last week.

He was taken into the Churchill Hospital in Oxford and when doctors said he only had a few days left, the couple arranged to hold a service on Saturday.

Mr Dallison died a few hours later.

Mrs Dallison yesterday released news of her husband’s death.

The couple had been together three years and she described him as an intelligent and courageous man, who loved nature and science.

Mrs Dallison, from Headington, said: “We planned to get married on July 18.

“Everything was set up –– we didn’t expect him to go quite so quickly.

“The doctor told me he was definitely going to die.

“I told him Stephen really wanted to get married and he said he was sure that could be arranged. It was amazing because we couldn’t rouse him for ages and then he suddenly woke up.

“The marriage was really happy. He told me he loved me. He kept saying ‘Wow!’ “It was such a relief he was awake and coherent and knew what was happening. I had a bouquet and he put my great-grandma’s ring on my finger.”

In December 2007, Mr Dallison became the first person in Oxfordshire to be given Sunitinib on the NHS – despite initially being refused the drug. He said it gave him a new lease of life.

Speaking to the Oxford Mail last year, he said: “I was diagnosed with advanced kidney cancer in July 2007. I had my kidney removed and was told by my consultant the remaining cancer should be treated with Sunitinib.

“But he said it would be hard to get hold of because there was no guidance from Nice on the newly-licensed drug and PCTs had been left to decide whether or not they should fund it. As expected, Oxfordshire PCT turned down my application.

“I was offered Interleukin-2, which, along with another drug called Interferon, was the current standard treatment. The drug had very severe side-effects, including nausea –– I lost three stones in three weeks and my condition worsened significantly.

“I’d not responded to the treatment –– less than 10 per cent of patients do. I felt I’d been left to die.”

Mrs Dallison said: “It was a disgrace Stephen had to spend night and day fighting for a drug that was his right, but I’m proud he was able to pave the way for others to get it – not just patients with the right postcode.”

Fellow kidney cancer sufferer Clive Stone, from Freeland, said: “Stephen was the original fighter, a sweet man and a support to all of us. We feel a great loss.”

Mr Dallison’s funeral is at Corpus Christi Church, Margaret Road, Headington, next Friday at 11.30pm.

tshepherd@oxfordmail.co.uk