Grandmother Vilma Dallal is fighting to be prescribed a drug on the NHS which she believes will prolong her life and enable her to see her son get married. She told Dave Blackhurst how it feels to know the drug, which was funded for her privately for a year, is working – only to be told she can't have it any longer.

FOR someone dying from cancer, every day is a precious opportunity to spend time with loved ones.

But Vilma Dallal believes the NHS in Stoke-on-Trent is hampering her attempt to buy time to see her baby grandson grow up and her son marry.

Mrs Dallal was on Avastin for a year and doctors marvelled as it shrank her tumours. But although licensed for use in the UK and prescribed for her by an NHS specialist at the University Hospital of North Staffordshire, it was funded by a private insurance company.

Since that arrangement ended in February, the mother-of-three says she has faced nothing but "delays and rudeness" in her attempt to persuade the city's primary care trust to take over the funding.

Mrs Dallal, who was an administrator at Blurton Health Centre until forced to retire last year, was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2000 and discharged in 2004. Early last year, she started feeling pain and doctors found the disease had spread.

Weeks later, she started receiving the Avastin infusions weekly and her health improved dramatically. "All last year I got better and better, but now the drug has been withdrawn I am going downhill and getting tired very easily," she said.

Her hope is to see her son Paul, aged 26, of Birches Head, marry at the Britannia Stadium in June 2010.

When she put the request to the PCT in mid-December, she thought that, with two months of payments by Norwich Union remaining, there would be time to settle the issue. But five months later she is still waiting.

Mrs Dallal said: "They know I'm dying but there seems no sense of urgency from the PCT.

"My request for PCT funding was not heard for two months and eventually went in front of their panel a week after Avastin had been withdrawn.

"When they turned it down, they didn't even contact me to tell me the decision. Instead, I was copied into a letter they sent to the hospital which referred to me merely by my initials. When you have your life at stake, how ill-mannered and unsympathetic is that?

"Then, when a national campaigning group put in an appeal on my behalf after consulting with a prominent QC, it took another three weeks for them to answer. It's as if they are making it as awkward as possible for me.

"I just want to spend a bit more time with my grandson Kavan, and see Paul's wedding."

Her case is being backed by City South MP Rob Flello and the Pamela Northcott Fund, which has a track record of winning drugs for cancer sufferers.

Kate Spall, chief executive of the fund, said: "I think the PCT is being unreasonable, irrational and unethical to refuse this vital treatment to Ms Dallal.

"To withhold a proven clinically effective treatment could hasten her death and unlawfully breach her human rights."

Mr Flello said: "I have written to the PCT and will do all I can to fight the case and make sure every angle is explored."

A PCT spokesman said: "The first application came from hospital medical director Dr Courteney Harris, which is why the letter was sent directly to him and Mrs Dallal was sent copies of the correspondence. Policy was followed. However, we appreciate Mrs Dallal's concerns over this and have taken note with a view to considering revising the policy accordingly."