HI Girls please read this message from one of our number and take action as you see fit (if you write or email - make sure to mention that you are a wi member !):
"Hi Lucy..I don't know if you remember me, but I e-mailed you recently about my interest in Fulham WI. I'm pleased to say that I really enjoyed the meeting and am now a fully paid-up member! Anyway, I'm e-mailing you as some news has caught my attention and I wonder if you think Fulham WI could help. You are undoubtedly well aware of all the press there has been about lack of access to new cancer treatments- principally Herceptin for breast cancer. More recently there have been stories of a 26 year old woman (see links below) who has advanced bowel cancer and whose best chance of survival depends on the drug Avastin.
http://news.independent.co.uk/uk/health_medical/article355192.ece
http://www.thesun.co.uk/article/0,,2-2006150558,00.html
However, her local Primary Care Trust (Sutton and Merton) has refused to fund her treatment at the Royal Marsden because she isn't deemed an 'exceptional' case. Although this sort of press makes me want to take action anyway, in this case Tamar is actually an acquaintance. She is trying to raise the £150,000 cost of treatment (whilst undergoing chemotherapy) herself through her website (http://www.tamarbailey.co.uk/) and has raised £20,000 so far. However, in addition, I think pressure should be put on the PCT themselves, from people e-mailing them to ask them to provide at least some of the cost towards her treatment (it is the second most common cancer in women after all and so cases like these should not be wholly unexpected). The details are below:
Link :http://www.suttonandmerton.nhs.uk/ec/talktous/update/readnew.asp?id=7#makecomplaint
The Complaints Department
Falkland Wing
Nelson Hospital
Kingston Road
London SW20 8D
Complaints Manager
Tony Foote
Tel: 020 8251 0143
complaints@smpct.nhs.uk
If you agree, could you perhaps e-mail the details of her website, encourage members to e-mail Tony Foote to express their concern, and also to pass on the details to their friends and family?"
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