TRIBUTES have been paid to drug campaigner Angelena Buxton who died after a two-year battle with kidney cancer.

Angelena's widower John and sister Gemma Austin now hope other cancer sufferers will draw inspiration from her brave fight.

The mum-of-two had selflessly fought for health trusts to make Nexavar available on the NHS to anyone needing the wonder drug.

The 57-year-old took a 10,000-name petition to Downing Street demanding action after convincing North Staffordshire Primary Care Trust (PCT) to provide it.

She only secured PCT funding after she paid £15,000 privately for treatment.

Angelena defied medics by living for two years after her diagnosis - a testament to the drug she promoted.

John, aged 56, said: "Angelena showed that people don't have to sit and take it. She inspired others.

"At hospital in Birmingham, there were people having the same treatment, and they came up and asked her if she was the woman they'd seen on television."

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Nexavar was only expected to give Angelena an extra three months of life, but she confounded medics by surviving nearly two years.

She eventually succumbed to the cancer's secondary tumours last week and died surrounded by her family at her home in Baldwins Gate.

Gemma, aged 63, of Trentham, said: "Angelena kept us going through it all, rather than the other way round. She never complained. She was hopeful right until the end, willing to try any treatment."

John and Gemma are angry that cancer patients are still being denied treatments that could offer them hope and prove the experts wrong.

John said: "They still maintain that Nexavar will only give you an extra three months. But all she wanted was three months to see if it worked.

"People can get these drugs in America, Europe, and even in third world countries, but somehow people in the UK can't get them."

Gemma added: "Why do they spend all that money developing the drugs in the first place, when nobody can afford to pay for them?

"Patients should do whatever they can to get the drugs, whatever sacrifices they have to make. Angelena and John were looking at selling their family home, before the PCT decided to pay for the drug."

Angelena's funeral takes place at Our Lady and St Werburgh RC Church in Clayton on Friday.