By Safira Ali

Last updated at 11:49, Thursday, 11 March 2010

Emotional tributes have been paid to a father-of-three who lost his battle with cancer this week aged 32.

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Stephen David Bland, of Chaucer Road, Workington, died at home on Saturday surrounded by his family.

He leaves behind his wife Lisa, children Victoria, 18, Spencer three, Ben, 19 months, and the late Elliot. He had one brother and three sisters, mum Catherine and dad David.

He was born in Hastings, but later moved to west Cumbria and attended Cockermouth School. He met Lisa in 1998, and proposed to her in Minorca in 2003. The couple married in 2004 at the Washington Central Hotel.

Mr Bland, who worked at Sellafield as a fitter, was a keen fisherman and his hobby took him all over the country. He regularly went to Rutland Water – which is where his ashes will be scattered. He would also fish in Yorkshire, and the North East in national competitions.

In February 2009 he was diagnosed with a malignant melanoma and had to have a finger on his right hand amputated. He had to learn to write again. But the cancer returned later that year. By May he had to have his lymph nodes removed.

But just before Christmas he discovered that the cancer had returned and spread to his lungs, liver and his brain. He had intensive radiotherapy and chemotherapy, but it was too late.

Mrs Bland added: “I wasn’t scared of him dying in front of me, my fear was not being there when he died. He deteriorated a lot through the last week.

“It was hard for him to accept at first. He sorted everything out so I would have less to do. I loved him so much. This wasn’t what we wanted. I told him how much I loved him.”

Mrs Bland added: “He loved fishing in his spare time. It was a passion of his. He loved fishing and cars. He was also a keen football fan and supported Manchester United.

“He was a gentleman. He loved stag dos and would always be the first to take off his clothes. He was a genuinely nice guy. He was quiet and could be emotional as well. He enjoyed himself and loved cooking. We were always having dinner parties. He liked to have a drink. He loved his music and as soon as something with a beat came on he was the first on the dance floor.”

She added that once he knew that he did not have much time left he started preparing himself. “He wanted all the work on the house finished in case anything happened to him so I wouldn’t have to worry about it. He had everything sorted for the funeral so there was less for me to do. He even asked his mate to get in touch with everybody after his death so I wouldn’t have to do it. He has left birthday cards for when the children turn 18 and 21. He thought of everything.”

The funeral will take place on Friday at St Michael’s Church at 2pm, followed by a cremation at Distington Hall Crematorium. It will be followed by a wake at Washington Central Hotel. Family flowers only, but donations if desired to Sir Bobby Robson Clinic at Freeman Hospital Newcastle, or Hospice at Home.

First published at 11:27, Thursday, 11 March 2010
Published by http://www.newsandstar.co.uk