Nexavar cancer treatment

Renal cancer sufferer, Keith Ditchfield from Stoneyhurst, Clither has today received confirmation from East Lancashire Primary Care Trust that it will fund his prescription for Nexavar, a life prolonging cancer treatment.

Fifty-three year old Keith who suffers with advanced kidney cancer has received the news today following a final appeal he made to the Trust yesterday morning at the Trusts HQ in Nelson.

Commenting earlier today a delighted Keith said: I am over the moon with the news, this is what I have been waiting months for. The last few years have been very traumatic and I am glad the fighting is over and I can now back to some normality.

On hearing the news Ben Gent from Irwin Mitchell, the law firm which successfully fought for women to receive Herceptin, and is currently acting for Welsh patients pursuing funding for brachytherapy said: I am delighted to hear that Keith has been successful in his attempt to secure funding for Nexovar. This is a decision which shows that, at last, his local Trust has considered the individual clinical needs rather than to hiding behind a blanket policy.

He continued, They should be applauded for this but Keith might be entitled to ask why it has taken four separate attempts to achieve this result. It seems that many others will face a similar ordeal as more effective treatments become available; Avastin, Erbitux, Taxotere, Suten, Tarceva and Tykerb seem destined to become the subject of similar challenges in the future

Nexavar now funded by PCT

Diagnosed with the disease in 2005 following a routine bowel operation, Keith has spent the last 18 months in and out of hospitals both in the UK and abroad. He has undergone ground-breaking radio-surgery in Munich, Germany.

Keith first learnt about Nexavar on the internet and has been buying it from Germany for the last six months at a cost of £3,000 a month.

PCT funding for the treatment commenced on 22nd February 2007.

If you or someone you know has been denied treatment, our solicitors can help. Fill in our online claims form for free legal advice.