One of the first British patients to be given a ‘breakthrough’ drug for deadly ovarian cancer has defied the odds, after the pill kept her cancer at bay for several years.
Val Simcock, 56, ran out of options in 2017 when a second bout of chemotherapy failed to halt the growth of her tumour. But the daily pill quickly stopped the cancer in its tracks.
Now up to 3,000 women with the disease are set to benefit from the drug, called niraparib, after the NHS spending watchdog NICE last week sanctioned its general use in England.
Val says: ‘I take three tablets every night just before bed and scans have since shown the drug isn’t just stopping the tumour from growing, it seems to be shrinking it slightly. That really fills me with hope for the future.’
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Among those launching staff vaccination programmes this week was Royal United Hospitals Bath NHS Foundation Trust.
One of the first members of staff to receive a jab at the trust was Sheena Brown (pictured top), a staff nurse and former ward sister who has worked in the NHS for 48 years.
Ms Brown, who is also a vaccinator, said it felt “great” to receive the Covid-19 vaccine and she encouraged others to take up the offer.
“The country is going through such a difficult time and this will help save lives and stop the NHS getting overwhelmed,” she said.
Julie Stone, one of the nurses leading the vaccination programme at Royal United Hospitals Bath, said staff had been “very keen” to get a jab.
The enigmatic star began her career as an actress, starring in
Bo Selecta! and presented various ITV2 shows including
I m a Celebrity.Get Me Out of Here! NOW! and
The Xtra Factor.
Strictly Come Dancing in 2014 and the following year she began presenting
The X Factor – replacing the long-standing presenter Dermot O Leary. She also presented the hit TV show
Love Island between 2015 to 2019.
Chadwick Boseman
(Ian West/PA) Actor and playwright Chadwick Boseman died on August 28 aged 43, after being diagnosed with stage III colon cancer in 2016. Boseman played superhero T’Challa in the 2018 Marvel blockbuster, Black Panther. Despite being diagnosed with cancer, he went on to star in a range of films, such as Captain America: Civil War, Avengers: Infinity War and Avengers: Endgame.
The enigmatic star began her career as an actress, starring in
Bo Selecta! and presented various ITV2 shows including
I m a Celebrity.Get Me Out of Here! NOW! and
The Xtra Factor.
Strictly Come Dancing in 2014 and the following year she began presenting
The X Factor – replacing the long-standing presenter Dermot O Leary. She also presented the hit TV show
Love Island between 2015 to 2019.
Chadwick Boseman
(Ian West/PA) Actor and playwright Chadwick Boseman died on August 28 aged 43, after being diagnosed with stage III colon cancer in 2016. Boseman played superhero T’Challa in the 2018 Marvel blockbuster, Black Panther. Despite being diagnosed with cancer, he went on to star in a range of films, such as Captain America: Civil War, Avengers: Infinity War and Avengers: Endgame.