We Clitheroe Thursday, January 11th, 2007- :.r No: 6 , 2 8 5 the Centre of the Kingdom^ w-^awww.clitheroetodayxo.uk ;:- Price 62p: g s f :


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PAGES st U-turn s jo y EXCLUSIVE by Julie Magee


TERMINALLY ill cancer suffer­ er Pauline Altham, who won the hearts of the community after being refused treatment on the NHS, has witnessed a U-turn by


the local health authority. E a s t L an c a sh ire P r im a ry Care


Trust this week confirmed to 62-year- old Mrs Altham, of Goosebutts Lane, Clitheroe, th a t h e r th ird and final appeal against the decision has been successful and the NHS will now fund her treatment while it is of benefit to her health. I t said the panel considering the


decision now “acknowledged th a t th e re is clear c linica l evidence of improvement of your condition and clear evidence that the treatment is of significant benefit to your health.” The news has come as a great relief


to Mrs Altham, who since September last year, has been forced to pay for


' th e d ru g C e tu x im ab p r iv a te ly , am o u n tin g to a b ill of more th a n £65,000 a year. The PCT originally refused funding


on the grounds th a t the drug had not been given clinical or financial clear­ ance by the National In s t i tu te for


Clinical Excellence (NICE). Two pre­ vious appeals made by Mrs Altham ag a in s t th is decision were tu rn ed down. “ I t feels like a burden has been


completely lifted,” Mrs Altham, who has had two positive scans since s ta r t­ ing the treatment, told the Clitheroe Advertiser and Times. “ I t all still seems quite unreal.” She added: “I ’m g ra te fu l to the


East Lancs PCT for listening to me, and to the people of Clitheroe and district for supporting me through­ out.” Mrs Altham went oii to thank her


colleagues a t Clitheroe Health Cen­ tre, where she works part-time in the


. dispensary, who immediately started a fund-raising campaign on hearing of her circumstances. Following an exclusive article in the


Clitheroe Advertiser and Times in October, the whole community also took on the challenge and, a t the time of going to press, £19,373 has been raised, which will pay for more than two th ird s of th e t r e a tm e n t Mrs


. Altham has already received. Now the appeal has finished, Mrs


Altham asked for any o u tstanding funds raised to be d o n a ted to th e North West Air Ambulance.


A RELIEVED Mrs Altham with some of the many cards of support she has received since we first ran her story (CR090107/2)


- T


h e plight of Pau lin e Altham has touched the hearts of everyone in the Kibble Valley.


During the final three months of 2006, the


entire community rallied round to ensure that she could continue the treatment she so desper­ ately needed in her personal fight against can­ cer. In October we told our readers how health


centre colleagues and friends had already raised £2,500, but more was urgently needed. Within a week of our first story that amount had dou­ bled with pledges of fund-raising throughout the Kibble Valley. By the end of the month, the total topped £10,000, enough for a further course of treatment. Events large and small were organised by


scores of people who had never met the Clitheroe mother, but who had been moved enough to want to help. From school pupils to OAPs and pubs to churches, the money rolled in. By the end of November, as Pauline awaited results of scans, the total had reached inore than £12,000 and a month later, it had soared to more than £19,000. On behalf of this newspaper, I would like to


thank every single person who has helped and contributed in any way. Pauline still faces huge hurdles, but given the knowledge that she has the encouragement, love and support of thou­ sands of local people, she is able to start 2007 on a much more positive note.


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