‘They refused to fund drugs that could have saved my daughter’
A mother who lost her daughter to cancer just four weeks after her dream wedding has slammed health chiefs for “breaking promises” over life-saving drugs.
Last week we revealed how Scots battling cancer who need urgent medication to stay alive were still being forced to “beg for their lives”.
A new procedure for dishing out the drugs, designed to end a much-criticised postcode lottery, comes into force next month but cancer specialists said those stuck in the current system were not being helped.
Now the mum of Laura Shannon-Connolly, 31 who died from bowel cancer after being denied two drugs freely available to patients in England and who would have celebrated her first wedding anniversary last week has slammed the Scottish government’s lack of action.
Heartbroken Lesley, from Kirkintilloch, said: “When Laura was fighting bowel cancer we were aware there were two drugs prescribed for use in England but which were not available in Scotland, Erbitax and Avastin.
“We wrote to the Scottish health secretary Alex Neil pleading with him to allow Laura access to this drug. But we were turned down.
“We were told the drugs would have no benefit to Laura. How would anyone know for certain unless it was tried. We were so downhearted we even contemplated selling our house but only stopped when we realised it would only pay for the drug for a few months.
“If Laura had been allowed to trial this drug and it had worked she may still have been with us today.
“But we will never know. Drugs available in hospitals around the world should also be made available to Scottish patients irrespective of the cost it’s the only way to determine what works.
“Ministers have to realise that while they are delaying people like Laura Shannon are dying.”
Fashion blogger Laura died four weeks after wedding childhood sweetheart Alan Connolly.
She had visited GPs a number of times over a two-year period, complaining of crippling stomach pain and bleeding. But doctors shrugged off her concerns, claiming her symptoms were just bad period pains.
By the time Laura was finally diagnosed with bowel cancer July in 2012, the disease had spread to her liver and lungs.
Last week would have been her first wedding anniversary.
Lesley, a former college lecturer, said: “We were going to have a family meal to mark the day but we couldn’t bear it. We just sat heartbroken and in tears, missing our beautiful girl Laura.”
A Scottish government spokeswoman said: “We are committed to ensuring that more cancer cases are detected early and to delivering the best possible range of treatment options and support.”
By Gordon Blackstock and Andrew Picken
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