KELLEY Spacey has spent three years seeking support for pancreatic cancer funding after her mum died from the disease.

And yesterday she was celebrating after an e-petition to get the issue debated in Parliament reached more than 106,000 signatures – 6,000 over target.

Her appeal featured in the Oxford Mail last month.

The 41-year-old from Rose Hill, Oxford, said: “As part of the national campaign I have been responsible for getting as many votes as possible in Oxfordshire, and the story in the Oxford Mail had an amazing response.

“Within two days of it appearing, my 4,000 local votes doubled to 8,000 and there were lots of messages of support from local people.

“On Friday night, the e-petition needed just a couple of hundred more votes and we knew we were going to reach the 100,000 mark. My husband Brian, 38, broke open the bubbly and I cried and cried.”

Despite being the fifth biggest killing cancer, pancreatic cancer receives the smallest amount of Government funding.

But now the petition has over 100,000 votes, it will be considered for debate by the Backbench Business Committee, which could result in a significantly increased research budget.

In 2012, Mrs Spacey and members of the Facebook group, Families In Support of Pancreatic Cancer Awareness (FISPCA), tried to gain 100,000 signatures, but only managed to secure 8,000. They relaunched it in April 2013.

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Mrs Spacey’s mother, Janet Priest, from Greater Leys, died in 2011, aged 63, just weeks after her diagnosis saw her tick off a ‘bucket list’ of dying wishes with the help of Oxford Mail readers.

Mrs Spacey said: “There is still a way to go, but we can now take the next step; gathering support amongst MPs across the country.”

Andrew Smith, MP for Oxford East, said: “The issue of research funding for this, and other less publicised cancers, is vitally important. I will work with the All Party Parliamentary Group on pancreatic cancer very strongly to support holding a debate where we can make the case.”