A memorable policy promise (From Oxford Mail)

A memorable policy promise

5:19pm Tuesday 25th May 2010 in

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Here I am again, sat at my trusty old computer having just recovered from another operation to remove an aggressive tumour.

Life dealt us another cruel blow last summer when my wife was diagnosed with breast cancer.

She had surgery followed by four months of intensive chemotherapy at the Churchill Hospital.

The new cancer unit is an excellent facility and the doctors and nurses were very caring and supportive, despite being rushed off their feet.

So another challenge has been thrown at us, which has made us ever more determined to look at the positive side of life and to make the most of every day.

As ever, campaigning for better drugs continues to dominate our lives. We are still waiting for the final decision on Everolimus from the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence, which is expected in June – despite this drug having been referred to them in November 2008.

NICE says the drug works but is too expensive. In the meantime, patients once again have to apply to their local PCT for Everolimus where Sutent has stopped working.

The postcode lottery rears its ugly head once again!

The best survival outcomes are seen in the countries where sequential drug treatment is available to patients.

Surely it must be right to give people the chance of extra life as each new effective drug comes along. After all isn’t this what all our talented researchers are striving for?

However, perhaps things may just be about to change for the better, as David Cameron has now announced that the Conservatives are setting up a £200m Cancer Drug Fund.

Doctors will be able to prescribe drugs without having to apply to their PCT for funding.

This is a groundbreaking initiative that has been welcomed with open arms by all cancer patients.

It is difficult for me to put into words what this will mean to us, after the many years of having to battle against all the bureaucracy of the NHS for drugs that have been readily available in so many other countries.

I have no doubt this will give extra years of life to so many more.

I still have to pinch myself when I think that he announced this in an interview with Sky TV while sitting in our front room. He had originally arranged to call around to discuss our campaign and to see how we were doing.

We chatted for almost an hour, and he was genuinely interested in trying to help, and then he announced this unexpected welcome surprise.

It was indeed a day we will always remember.