A RETIRED teacher claims she is being denied a life-prolonging cancer drug because of where she lives.

Anne Theresa Worthington has been battling cancerous tumours on her lungs since December 2010 and has been put forward for the drug Yervoy by her consultant at Swansea's Singleton Hospital.

However, Mrs Worthington — known as Theresa to friends and family — has been refused Yervoy by the Welsh NHS panel dealing with individual patient funding requests because of its cost.

However, thanks to a cancer drugs fund which covers the cost, it is available in England and Northern Ireland.

Neither Nice (the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence) or the All Wales Medicines Strategy Group have estimated the cost of providing Yervoy, which is also known as Ipilimuma, but Mrs Worthington believes it is thousands of pounds per patient. Mrs Worthington, 77, says the situation has left her with no option but to continue with gruelling chemotherapy.

Speaking at her home in Ffordd Y Briallu, Abergwili, with husband Glyn,78, at her side she added: "When my consultant told me I was being put forward for the drug I was hopeful, but was despondent when it was refused."

Frustrating

"It's a postcode lottery and I am being penalised for my address, for living where I love in Wales.

"It is just so frustrating."

Mrs Worthington, who taught at the former Whitland Grammar School, added: "The ironic thing is that both our sons live in England and Northern Ireland where this drug can be had.

"We did consider uprooting to England some years ago but we liked Wales too much

"My eldest son Robin, who is an optician in Gloucestershire, has told us to come and live with him so I can apply for the treatment there.

"It's too late in life for us to move now."

Mrs Worthington, who has previously beaten melanoma skin cancer in the late 1970s and mid-1980s, pointed out that while funding for cancer drugs was not available in Wales, the Welsh Government is now prepared to cover costs of replacement breast implants for women affected by the PIP scandal.

She said: "I have no problem with the Government paying for implants for health reasons, such as cancer but not for cosmetic."

Mrs Worthington is now considering appealing against the decision of the NHS panel but said she is unsure after being knocked back and facing more chemotherapy.

A spokeswoman for Hywel Dda Health board said: "It would not be appropriate to discuss a patient's care through the media.

"All Individual Patient Funding Requests (IPFR) are considered on a case by case basis with the key factor being exceptionality."