A WOODBRIDGE bus driver who overcame leukaemia has died from cancer on the eve of his 36th wedding anniversary.Chris Fosker, 56, and his family have endured numerous health problems – often involving some form of cancer – and his nephew praised the former owner of Vision International Travel Ltd, of Ipswich, for his courage in coping with serious illnesses.

A WOODBRIDGE bus driver who overcame leukaemia has died from cancer on the eve of his 36th wedding anniversary.

Chris Fosker, 56, and his family have endured numerous health problems – often involving some form of cancer – and his nephew praised the former owner of Vision International Travel Ltd, of Ipswich, for his courage in coping with serious illnesses.

David Keeble, 53, of Top Street, Martlesham, said: ''One of the things about Chris was that he showed remarkable fortitude and courage in tackling his own cancer, his wife's illness, that of his sister and his brother, and me to a lesser extent, his business failure and the financial problems which came with that.

''Over the last year he has shown such courage in dealing with cancer and he has maintained his sociability.''

Mr Fosker, of Admiral's Walk, Woodbridge, was vice chairman of Woodbridge Town Football Club and he had been chairman of Brantham Football Club.

A former landscape gardener with Notcutts and Goldsmiths, he became a bus driver with First Bus after he had recovered from leukaemia.

But a year ago Mr Fosker fell ill with what he first thought was a boil on his gums. It turned out to be cancer of the jaw and during a major operation doctors removed the jaw and rebuilt it with bone taken from his hip.

As the family hoped he would overcome the cancer doctors revealed in October that the cancer was still there and the future prospects for Mr Fosker did not look good.

He was admitted to St Elizabeth Hospice, Ipswich, a week ago to give his wife Anne a rest, but he unexpectedly died within two days. His funeral will be held on January 15, at noon at St John's Church, Woodbridge.

The couple met in Hexham, Northumberland, and after their wedding they soon moved to Suffolk – Mr Fosker was born in Woodbridge – and they had two sons, Karl and Shaun.

In the last few years the family has lost various members through cancer and Mr Fosker had to give up his travel business due to his leukaemia. He was disqualified from being involved in the management of a company for three years and ordered to do community service after 12 customers lost nearly £2,000 when Mr Fosker was unable to run the business properly while he was seriously ill.

Mr Fosker's wife overcame breast cancer, his brother Eric died from cancer and Eric's wife died after a brain tumour. His sister Nancy Keeble failed to recover after an operation, her husband David died from a heart attack and their son David had cancer of the tonsils.