A cancer sufferer forced to sell her home to fund vital drug treatment has been boosted by news that South Staffordshire Primary Care Trust has agreed to temporarily foot the bill.

The PCT had refused to pay for the treatment, prescribed by Debbie Mitchell’s doctors. She was first diagnosed with stomach cancer in 1999. Although she had 40 per cent of her stomach removed, it returned in 2006.

The 39-year-old mother had hoped the operation had beaten the disease.

She will move from Derrington to Stafford shortly, after having been diagnosed with a rare mutating cancer, gastrointerstinal stomal (GIST), and believes Sutent, which costs almost £30,000 a year, is her only chance of treating the illness.

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A cancer sufferer forced to sell her home to fund vital drug treatment has been boosted by news that South Staffordshire Primary Care Trust has agreed to temporarily foot the bill.

The PCT had refused to pay for the treatment, prescribed by Debbie Mitchell’s doctors. She was first diagnosed with stomach cancer in 1999. Although she had 40 per cent of her stomach removed, it returned in 2006.

The 39-year-old mother had hoped the operation had beaten the disease.

She will move from Derrington to Stafford shortly, after having been diagnosed with a rare mutating cancer, gastrointerstinal stomal (GIST), and believes Sutent, which costs almost £30,000 a year, is her only chance of treating the illness.

Debbie, who claims she is victim of a postcode lottery with Sutent available elsewhere, was originally on a much more expensive drug – Glivec – which cost £58,000 per year, but was funded by the PCT.

Doctors changed the prescription to Sutent after it was discovered it had a 50 per cent chance of working – against Glivec’s five per cent for the type of GIST she suffers from. 

The PCT at first said it could not fund the drug as its effectiveness isn’t proved and it is not officially approved by the National Institute for Clinical Excellence but has now relented and agreed to take over the funding for two months, after which time her progress will be assessed.

Debbie, who had a fund set up to help meet the costs, said: “It is a relief but it shouldn’t have come to this and it has been very stressful. 

“We will keep the money from the sale of the house and any money from fundraising in case I have to take it over again.

“We are still fundraising and if my treatment is paid for, the money will go towards helping other people in my position.”

A pub near Wolverhampton, The Four Ashes, on the A449 at Standeford, hosted a day of events on Saturday to raise money.

A fund set up for Debbie has already brought in more than £4,000. 

To donate, call Lesley Thomas on 07711 259674.