SALFORD grandmother Jean Murphy may finally be getting the cancer treatment she needs but she is continuing to fight for others who have been refused life-prolonging drugs.
Jean, 63, of Cleveland Avenue, Hope, has been having Sutent for the last three weeks but on Wednesday, August 27, she led a protest outside the headquarters of the National Institute and Clinical Excellence in London.
Jean met other kidney cancer patients to hand in personal letters to officials asking them to change their minds about a decision to deny cancer patients effective treatment because it is too expensive.
Despite winning a high court battle Jean was refused Sutent, which can extend the lives of sufferers by up to six months, by Salford Primary Care Trust but a mystery donor has given her £10,000 to pay for it.
Earlier this month NICE put out draft guidelines saying the drug was effective but at £3,500 for six weeks treatment it is too expensive.
Doctors and patients are hoping they will change their mind before making a final decision at the end of the year.
Mrs Murphy said: "I cannot understand why health authorities seem to think kidney cancer patients have less right to live than other people and I am determined to fight to make them change their policy and do the right thing.
"I am lucky that someone has answered my prayers and is paying for my drug but I am fighting for all the others out there who will come after me, in the hope they will not have to battle as I have battled, whilst they are dying.
"Sutent has made me feel more like my old self and I’ve only been on it for three weeks.
"Last week, I went shopping for the first time in eight months, that’s how well I’m feeling."
NICE issued draft guidance earlier this month rejecting the drugs Sutent, Avastin, Nexavar and Torisel.
The protest comes after a group of 26 leading UK cancer experts wrote to a Sunday newspaper to say they were ‘dismayed’ at the guidance.
Announcing NICE’s decision Professor Peter Littlejohns said: "The decisions we have to make are some of the hardest in public life and NHS resources are not limitless.
"Two of the manufacturers have developed proposals which may reduce the cost.
"We will be happy to consider these once they have been reviewed."
