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Battling cancer patient loses fight for life
Nov 30 2006 By Alison Dayani, Birmingham Mail
A LUNG cancer sufferer who fought and won a campaign to be treated with an expensive drug has lost her fight for life.
Alice Thompson, aged 69, succumbed to the disease in the early hours of Monday, said carer Pat Sanderson, who lived with her at Ulleries Road, Olton, Solihull.
Pat said Alice was a regular at the Patient's Lung Cancer Group at Heartlands Hospital, in Bordesley Green, Birmingham, and would do her best to cheer up other terminal patients affected by the gruelling illness.
With help from Pat, Alice persuaded Solihull Primary Care Trust to do a U-turn on funding the cancer wonder drug Tarseva in an appeal two months ago and started treatment straight away.
Pat said: "Alice lost her fight with lung cancer on Monday and a lot of people will miss her.
"She was a rock at the lung cancer group meetings and was well thought of.
"Everyone is very sad and upset by Alice's death."
Alice used to work in the restaurant at the Lucas factory, in Shirley, Solihull, and went on to work in the licensing trade at various social clubs in the region.
She also helped run the Royal British Legion club at Sheldon, Birmingham, until her retirement.
Despite Alice undergoing chemotherapy, doctors could not destroy the lung cancer cells, said Pat.
Tarseva would not have cured Alice, but improved her chances of living longer.
The drug, which costs £1,600 a month, is freely available to cancer patients in Scotland, but not in England.
Funeral details are available from the Mail on 0121 234 5651.
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