The Victoria Otley Case

Victoria Otley, a 57 year old woman from Essex with advanced bowel cancer, was one of the first patients to contact Bowel Cancer UK about campaigning for treatments, after her PCT had denied her access to the drug Avastin (bevacizumab) for a second time. With the help of the charity, the Pack, lawyers and the media she began to raise awareness of her case. After her exceptionality appeal was turned down, the legal team, with the support of Bowel Cancer UK, decided to take her case to the High Court in June 2007.

The High Court agreed that the PCT had a case to answer and referred the matter to the Royal Courts of Justice as a Judicial Review. On 11th July the case was heard by the Royal Courts
of Justice, with the judge, historically, finding in her favour and quashing the PCT negative ruling. The PCT immediately agreed not to appeal the verdict and to give her the drug Avastin.

Bowel Cancer UK Campaign Helps Bowel Cancer Patient Win Historic Court Ruling

Bowel Cancer UK, which celebrates its 20th anniversary this year, is the leading bowel cancer charity in the UK. A key part of its role is in campaigning on behalf of patients - often those in the later stages of the disease - to gain access to effective treatments that they've been denied on the National Health Service (NHS) on grounds of cost.

Bowel cancer is the third most common cause of cancer and the second most common cause of cancer death in the UK, affecting over 35,000 people each year.