Grandmother Evelyn McCarroll, 58, of Gravesend, has been told her lung cancer is incurable. She has already had cancer of the cervix and nose.In January, her family started paying £1,700 a month for the drug Tarceva after the NHS refused to fund it.

However, on Wednesday she learnt her third appeal had been successful.

Dr James Thallon, NHS West Kent's medical director, said: "An appeal held last Thursday morning decided that NHS West Kent will provide funding for the patient's future treatment with the drug Tarceva.

"NHS West Kent has to consider cases of this kind very carefully, on an individual basis. The panel felt that NHS West Kent's previous decisions had been justified and sound - we can only go against the NICE guidelines in exceptional circumstances.

“However, the guidelines in this area are still being developed and as a result there have been some differences in the way these are interpreted nationally. "Work to clarify the guidance continues, but NHS West Kent decided that rather than subject the patient to more waiting and uncertainty, funding for the treatment will be provided in this case. The treatment’s effectiveness will be reviewed after three months.”

NHS West Kent, which is now considering her third appeal, said it would take into account all circumstances before coming to a decision.

However it would not comment further on the case while it is still in a progress.

The agonising situation has devastated Mrs McCarroll.

She said: "I've got grandchildren that I want to see grow up."

And adding that she will die as soon as she stops taking the tablets, she said: "They're playing with your life aren't they? That's what they're doing."

The 58-year-old's fight for the drug has won the backing of the Roy Castle Lung Castle Foundation.

Dr Rosemary Gillespie, spokeswoman for the foundation, said: "It is horrendous that someone with lung cancer has to pay for their own treatment.

"Patients should be able to access drugs, which their doctors believe to be clinically appropriate. We understand that this lady is responding well to this drug. It is wrong that her wellbeing is dependent on her ability to pay and that she has been refused by the NHS."

Have you been denied life-prolonging or life-preserving drugs by the NHS? Let us know by emailing gravesendmessenger@thekmgroup.co.uk or calling us on 01474 564327.

Picture courtesy of BBC South East Today