Tomlinson family's drug plea

Charity fundraiser Jane Tomlinson was denied potentially lifesaving drugs in the final months of her life, it has been revealed.

Mother-of-three Mrs Tomlinson, 43, lost her seven-year battle with terminal cancer last month.

She had defied doctors who gave her just months to live and went on to raise over £1.75 million through a series of gruelling endurance events.

Mrs Tomlinson's family will now urge the Government to review guidelines concerning the availability of advanced trial drugs over claims of a "postcode lottery".

Her husband Mike will hold a joint news conference with Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust to discuss nationwide discrepancies.

The drug which his wife was refused is available elsewhere in the UK.

They will ask the Government to change its policies in order to erase such inconsistencies and prevent others from being refused treatment.

Mr Tomlinson said: "Jane Tomlinson has asked that following her death an ongoing serious national issue in the NHS be raised publicly.

"This is an issue which directly affected her care in the last few months of her life."

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