Heartbroken husband of cancer campaigner Nicky Newman reveals how his 'world ... trends now

A heartbroken husband has paid an emotional tribute to his cancer campaigning wife who inspired thousands by highlighting the illness that took her life at just 35.

Nicky Newman was known for her never be defeated catchphrase ‘Go grab life’ as she underlined the importance to make the most of every minute – despite being diagnosed with cancer five years ago.

Her devoted husband Alex, 37, was with her every step of the way and described her as his ‘one in a million soulmate’ in their loving relationship that started as teenage sweethearts.

Electrician Alex, who wears the engagement ring and eternity ring he gave Nicky on a chain around his neck, told MailOnline: ’She was amazing, I loved her so much and I still do, with all my heart.'

He continued: ‘After Nicky was diagnosed, we packed in so much together because we just wanted to have as much time together as we could, most people get 50 or 60 years with their partner – we had to cram all that into just five.

‘There are so many wonderful memories I have of Nicky, it’s hard to just pick one out but what she did with her life and how she inspired others to take care of themselves and look out for each other was unbelievable.’

Alex described how he and Nicky nicknamed each other ‘lobster’ and ‘bean’ and met as teenagers in Guildford, Surrey, and apart from three years apart when they went to different universities have been together ever since.

He said: ’We first went out as kids, then we split up but in 2008 we bumped into each other in town and just clicked, it was as if we had never been apart.

‘I think we both knew we were meant to be together because we were always good friends and had great chemistry together, what differences we had balanced each other out.'

Alex revealed how he secretly saved for a diamond engagement ring which he presented with her on Christmas Day 2012 while the two were meant to buy building up a deposit for a house.

He said: ’That was one of the happiest days of my life, and I did it the proper way asking her dad first and then going down on one knee, she was so surprised, but she made me so happy when she said yes.'

In 2014 they married at Guildford registry office and a blackboard Nicky made has pride of place in the kitchen of their home.

On it is written Mr and Mrs Newman and it marks out the key dates of their relationship the first line read “27.07.08 when he stole her heart’, below is ’25.12.12 and popped the question’ with the last line says ’26.07.14 and she stole his last name’.

But four years later, as the couple started thinking about a family with the help of IVF, came the devastating news Nicky had terminal cancer.

Alex said: ’Nicky was always very thorough with checking her breasts and one morning noticed a lump in the shower, we had done the first course of IVF and that hadn’t worked, and then she went for tests.

‘The day we found out it was secondary stage four cancer, we were all there, Nicky, her parents and myself and the world just caved in for all of us.

‘They said the cancer had spread to her hips, lower spine, shoulders and ribs and the prognosis was maybe five to ten years at the most.

‘It was such a shock for all of us, people say getting bad news like that is being hit by a train, but it was worse, everything we were hoping and planning for just collapsed around us.’

Nicky began her chemotherapy treatment at Guildford's Royal Surrey Hospital, and it meant the couple’s long cherished hopes of a family were brutally ended by the diagnosis.

Alex said:’ We discussed it and we both said there was no point going ahead as it would mean any child we had, would grow up without their mother and we didn’t want that.

‘We could have frozen Nicky’s eggs, but we came to the same conclusion we wanted to be parents together or not at all.’

Nicky endured gruelling rounds of oral

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