Cancer patients unite in battle for drug fairness
“Two battling cancer sufferers have left their sick beds to join forces in a demand for better treatment for cancer patients in Wales.
Grandfather Dave Powell and mother-of-two Jayne Sullivan, who are still receiving treatment for their cancers, are taking their protest to the National Assembly with a claim that Welsh patients are being victimised.
Both are urging that cancer treatments and the drugs involved should be available to all patients who need them.
Earlier this year, breast cancer victim Mrs Sullivan, 45, highlighted the NHS restrictions on the use of the breast cancer drug herceptin by staging a seven-day sit-in protest at the assembly.
Grandfather Mr Powell, 54, of Barry, had been fighting since March for treatment for his prostate cancer and finally received help from a hospital in England last month.
But the couple say other prostate cancer sufferers who have been recommended for similar therapy, which is not available in Wales, have been told they will only receive in exceptional circumstances. This has been confirmed in a letter to doctors
Mr Powell said: ‘I eventually received treatment but only after a five-month battle with NHS officials in the National Assembly.
‘This form of treatment - brachytherapy - is a low-dose form of radiotherapy and has been available for years in the UK but not in Wales. They are now telling other Welsh men in my situation they will not pay for prostate cancer patients to receive help in England - that’s a disgrace.’
by Greg Tindle, South Wales Echo, Sept 19 2006
icwales.co.uk