CANCER sufferer Chris Nelson has lost her brave battle for life.

Chris, 57, of Heworth, began complementary therapy involving up to 200 tablets, capsules and pills a day in 2003 after former Nestl Rowntree colleagues helped raise thousands of pounds for her.

As recently as last autumn, her future looked bright, with doctors saying they considered her condition was now chronic rather than terminal.

But her condition deteriorated in the New Year as her lungs became affected by the cancer, causing her to become breathless and weak, and she died in the arms of her husband, Allan, last Friday at St Leonard's Hospice.

Allan said today: "Chris was a really special person. I am privileged to have been married to her for 32 years."

He spoke of the hope and encouragement Chris had given to other people suffering from cancer over the past two years, including complete strangers who had rung up after hearing about her complementary treatment in the media.

He also said he was convinced that the treatment, and all the fundraising efforts that had paid for it, had still been well worthwhile.

"I am 100 per cent certain it extended her life, and gave her a greater quality of life," he said.

"She was given 18 months (by doctors), and she lived for two years and five months.

"Everyone who helped raise the money has my everlasting gratitude. We both felt very humbled that people would do so much for us. People were prepared to do such a wide variety of things to raise money on our behalf."

Fundraising events included a quiz night, belly-dancing display, a slave-for-a-day competition, sponsored swims and runs, a musical night and Christmas flower demonstration.

The treatment involved no fewer than 43 different minerals, vitamins and other natural substances from around the world.

Prescribed by a London cancer specialist, it was aimed at attacking the cancer while also protecting and building up Chris's immune system.

Chris always said she was not looking for a miracle to happen, but was determined to do everything she could to continue living as healthily as she could for as long as possible.

Allan said the doctors' decision to downgrade the terminal diagnosis last autumn had raised Chris' spirits greatly, but it had made it more difficult to cope when her condition deteriorated only months later.

Chris's funeral will take place at York Crematorium, at 2pm, on Monday, with Allan asking for people not to bring flowers and suggesting they might give donations instead to St Leonard's Hospice, where he says staff gave Chris magnificent care.

"They were professional and very, very caring," he said, adding that the volunteers were also "fantastic".

Updated: 10:20 Thursday, April 21, 2005