Cancer survivor's wedding joy (From The Bolton News)

Cancer survivor's wedding joy

11:08pm Sunday 15th July 2007

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IT was a day doctors thought Alyson Cooper would never live to see.

Two years to the day she was diagnosed with breast cancer, she walked down the aisle to marry her fiance Dave Porter.

The mother-of-two, who lives in Bromley Cross, was told she had just two years to live after being diagnosed.

But after first winning a battle with Bolton Primary Care Trust to be given the "wonderdrug" Herceptin, she fought off cancer to live her dream of tying the knot.

"My wedding was the happiest day of my life," said 46-year-old Alyson, now Mrs Porter.

"If it was not for Herceptin, I don't think it would have taken place."

The trust initially refused to give her the drug because of the high cost of treatment.

But Mrs Porter, along with fellow sufferer Amanda D'Argue, battled health bosses for five months for the right to be given treatment.

Greater Manchester Strategic Health Authority - which sets guidelines for treatment in the region - ruled in her favour and said Herceptin should be available to any woman registered with a GP in Greater Manchester, who is being treated at the Christie Hospital.

On Saturday, at a ceremony in Preston, she married the man she met three-years-ago on a girls' night out.

She donned a traditional bridal gown while Mr Porter, aged 38, who has a six-year-old son, Adam, wore a kilt.

Because of their mutual love for motorbikes, the couple had planned a biker wedding - leaving home in leathers to go to the ceremony.

However, they decided not to risk the roads in the poor weather. But Mrs Porter, who has two daughters, Maria, aged 27, and Michelle, aged 21, said it did not take the shine off a wonderful day.

"In April doctors said there was no reason to believe the disease will return," she said.

"My wedding day has marked the end and the start of a new era. It was perfect joyous Christian marriage and very emotional.

"My husband is gorgeous. He is so special and has the honourable qualities and morals every woman wants in a man."

The couple are now on honeymoon in Cannes.

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