THE family of a Lakeside cancer sufferer has given thanks to a national charity that helped their relative discover a new lease of life.

Christopher Smith, 37, who had lung cancer, was treated to a day of white water rafting with his family by the Willow Foundation.

Mr Smith, of Sillins Avenue, died at the end of October but his family believes the rafting trip a few months earlier had helped grant him a new lease of life to enjoy his wedding at the start of the month.

His wife Michelle said after he was diagnosed he had found it increasingly difficult to incorporate quality family time into his life.

She said: "Christopher had always wanted to go white water rafting and it was just fantastic he was well enough at the time to really enjoy it. Everything was perfect and we had not laughed so much for a long time."

The foundation plans and funds special days for seriously ill adults aged 16-40, giving them something fun to focus on.

It organised for Christopher, Michelle, his son Ashley and stepdaughter Sad to go to the River Dee, in Wales, arranging details including meals and hotel rooms so the family could enjoy the day.

Sad said Christopher and Michelle had gone on to have a wonderful wedding day, with her as bridesmaid and Ashley as pageboy, and that she thought the rafting day had fired him up and kept him going.

She added: "We all believe the water rafting trip made him realise all the fun he could still have. It made him stronger and able to look forward to other things like the wedding - I had never seen him looking happier than he was on those two special occasions."