Brain tumour hope for campaigner

Clive Stone, of Witney, Oxfordshire, arrived home from collecting his award on Thursday to find a message waiting for him.

“It said I had to call the hospital in Sheffield, where the treatment would be done,” he said. “I couldn’t call because it was 8pm but I called them first thing this morning.

“She said she hoped I was sitting down as it was good news – my funding had come through.

“I’m now going up there on Tuesday for the treatment. It targets the tumour without the need for surgeons to drill into your head.

“I’ve been told the treatment could completely shrink the tumour but we need to see what happens.”

Mr Stone was one of those who helped the Government establish its £200m cancer drugs fund.

He has battled to improved access to costly cancer drugs, but had his own plea for NHS treatment rejected.

Oxfordshire Primary Care Trust refused the drug but met again yesterday to consider a request that the operation be seen as an exceptional case.

The 63-year-old campaigner will receive stereotactic radiotherapy to shrink his tumour. He said he was “absolutely thrilled” that the treatment would now go ahead.