THE son of cancer drug campaigner Angelena Buxton gave a moving tribute to his mother at her funeral.

At a requiem mass at Our Lady and St Werburgh Church in Clayton, Stephen Buxton told how his mother was an inspiration to all who knew her.

Angelena, of Sandy Lane, Baldwins Gate, died last Tuesday after a two-year battle against kidney cancer and a high profile campaign for the drug Nexavar to be made available on the NHS.

The 57-year-old mother-of-two eventually won her fight to have North Staffordshire PCT to pay for the drug, but continued her campaign in the hope that one day all kidney cancer patients would receive the same treatment.

Stephen told Angelena's gathered friends and family how his mother had faced her illness with courage and dignity.

He said: "My mum was always proud of her 4ft 11in height. She was not quite five foot tall, but she had the heart, the strength, and the attitude of a giant.

"My mum was brave. Over the last couple of years she has struggled with cancer. She didn't like being called brave, she just felt she had no choice but to deal with it. But I think she did herself a massive disservice. She really was courageous.

"She was strong, she was loving, she was caring. She was an inspiration."

Angelena was first diagnosed with kidney cancer in November 2006 and was told she would not be able to have Nexavar on the NHS.

Angelena and her husband John began to use their retirement savings to pay for the drug privately, while starting the appeal process against the PCT's decision.

The appeal was successful and the drug worked, shrinking the tumours in Angelena's kidneys so much they could be removed surgically.

Angelena and her family were also campaigning publicly for Nexavar to be made freely available to all patients who needed it.

This campaign eventually culminated in the family delivering a 10,000-name petition to 10 Downing Street.

Although the secondary tumours in her back and elsewhere would eventually take her life, Angelena was always grateful for the two years Nexavar had given her.

Throughout her battles against cancer and NHS bureaucracy, Angelena's large and loving family stood by her, and they were out in force again yesterday to say their final goodbyes.

Father Stephen Fawcett, who led the service, also paid tribute to Angelena's courage and tenacity.

He said: "In the last two years, Angelena hit the headlines as she and her family fought for a new cancer drug. I don't think there was ever any danger of that family losing that fight, if I'm honest. By doing that, Angelena helped lots of other people."

Read Angelena's blog at www.thisisstaffordshire.co .uk/angelena