Black Country grandfather wins funding for brain tumour drug
A grandfather from the Black Country is looking forward to the new year with fresh hope after winning a battle for £28,000 funding to help fight his brain tumour.
A grandfather from the Black Country is looking forward to the new year with fresh hope after winning a battle for £28,000 funding to help fight his brain tumour.
Keith Walker, aged 52, from Wednesbury, suffers from acromegaly, a rare tumour on his pituitary gland that will affect his internal organs, develop cancers and cause his bones to grow if left untreated. He had been told by health bosses at Sandwell Primary Care Trust (PCT) that it was too expensive to pay for a drug called Pegvisomant.
Doctors said the drug would help keep his condition under control.
Following a campaign supported by more than 2,000 people, health chiefs have now made a U-turn and agreed to grant Mr Walker £28,000.
It will allow him to have up to 10mg of the Pegvisomant drug, which it is hoped will shrink the tumour.
Mr Walker, who lives with his partner Elaine Collins and her daughter Gemma at their Queen Street home, said: "They rang me to say they're now going to award me the funding. It was like a massive weight off my shoulders, it felt like Christmas had come early."
Among Mr Walker's supporters is Councillor Elaine Costigan, who represents the Wednesbury North ward on Sandwell Council. She has been helping him and met with health bosses to urge them to reconsider their position. Mr Walker described her as the "backbone" of the campaign and said her support had been "amazing".
Councillor Costigan said: "It will make his life so much better. We're cock-a-hoop, it's the best news in the world."
Mr Walker was diagnosed at Wolverhampton's New Cross Hospital in October 2006 and had surgery around Christmas 2007.
A five-week course of radiotherapy, five days a week, followed but the condition still caused his hands to grow, as well as making his bottom jaw protrude.
Mr Walker suffered regular headaches and had go to hospital for injections, but the new medication could put paid to the frequent trips.
He said: "It will add years on to my life and hopefully I will get to see my two grandchildren grow up."
Dr John Middleton, Director of Public Health for Sandwell PCT said, "When I met Mr Walker, I agreed to discuss his case with the doctor that referred him for this treatment.
"I have now done that and on the basis of the information that he presented, I have agreed that we will fund this drug.
"Additional clinical information was provided which demonstrates that Mr Walker is more likely to benefit from this treatment than other patients with similar conditions.
"The drug would not normally be available or recommended but Mr Walker's case is exceptionally rare. Out of 25 cases in the region each year less than one per cent of those would require and benefit from this treatment.
"Clarification on the dosage and the length of time Mr Walker will need the drug also reduces the cost. I'm very pleased to have been able to give Mr Walker this good news just before Christmas and I wish him all the best."
