by Torben Lee

A mystery benefactor is giving a terminally-ill Bristol dad hope that he will live to see his daughter's first day at school.

Jack Rosser, 57, who lives in Kingswood, was diagnosed with cancer of the kidney three days after his daughter, Emma, was born in July 2007.

He says that a drug which could prolong his life for up to five years is his only hope of seeing his daughter walk on her own, talk or even spend her first day at school. But the drug Sutent does not have approval from the National Institute for Clinical Excellence (Nice), so health bosses are not obliged to prescribe it on the NHS.

South Gloucestershire Primary Care Trust (PCT) turned down Mr Rosser's application for the drug, which would cost about £3,000 for a six-week course.

But now an anonymous benefactor – a hedge fund manager from New York – has agreed to help.

With drug company Pfizer offering the first cycle free of charge, the benefactor is offering to fund the next two at a cost of £6,100.

The American heard about Mr Rosser's plight and contacted British campaign group, the Pamela Northcott Fund, which relayed his offer to Mr Rosser and his nurse wife Jenny, 41.

"I got the news in a text message on my phone at 11.30pm one night," Mr Rosser told the Bristol Evening Post.

"After I wiped away the tears, I thought how marvellous this man must be.

"We've never spoken, but I would love to thank him. Hopefully, he's added two years to my life – maybe more.

"I'm overjoyed and more determined than ever to see Emma start school."

By February next year, the Rossers hope Nice will have reversed its ruling on Sutent – as it is expected to do – and Mr Rosser will then be able to continue using the drug with NHS funding.

Even if Nice refuses to change its decision about Sutent's cost-effectiveness, the Rossers hope the drug will quickly prove clinically effective in treating Mr Rosser's cancer.

The hope is that it might persuade the PCT to pay for continued use of Sutent even without Nice backing.

The Rossers, who live in Middle Road, say the mystery benefactor in New York will keep in touch with Kate Spall, of the Pamela Northcott Fund.

"By February we should have evidence to show whether the drug is working," said Mrs Rosser.

"If we are not successful in our appeal to the PCT at that stage and Nice won't reverse its ruling on Sutent, it'll be up to our benefactor whether he is able to continue to help us. If Sutent doesn't prove to be working, we would look at other treatment options, such as clinical trials of other drugs."

Doctors found that Mr Rosser had an aggressive kidney tumour days after Emma's birth.

The cancer had spread to his bones and Mr Rosser was told he might live for only two years unless he was given Sutent. His consultant told him Sutent, which stops cancer cells growing, could prolong his life by up to five years.

Earlier this year the Bristol Evening Post told how another cancer patient, 55-year-old Gary Humphries, of Knowle, won a last-ditch appeal hearing to persuade Bristol PCT to pay for him to be prescribed Sutent.

But South Gloucestershire PCT turned down Mr Rosser's application at an exceptional funding panel.

The former self-employed sheet metal worker, who served in the Royal Navy for nine years, was diagnosed after he went to his doctor about what he believed was "a popped rib".

He was originally told he may have just months to live, but after having the kidney and corresponding adrenal gland removed he was told he could live a few years longer.

Mr Rosser tried the drug Interferon but he suffered many side-effects and lost weight. Now he is pinning his hopes on Sutent shrinking his secondary tumours.

As well as one-year-old Emma, Mr Rosser has a 26-year-old daughter, Carly, and is a stepfather to his wife Jenny's two teenage sons, Sam and Daniel.

Kingswood MP Roger Berry has written to the PCT on Mr Rosser's behalf.

In July a spokeswoman for South Gloucestershire PCT said: "A number of drugs are not routinely funded by the NHS. However, the PCT has a process in place to offer exceptional funding for treatments depending on the individual's circumstances.

"There is also an appeal process to challenge any decision made by the PCT if the patient feels that due process was not followed, or there is further information that could demonstrate an exceptional need for treatment above others in a similar situation."