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Dorothy Griffiths (Stoke-on-Trent, United Kingdom)

Dorothy “Dot” Griffiths is a breast cancer patient and a nationally recognized advocate for enacting reforms within the United Kingdom’s National Health Service – the government-run entity that controls health care services in England, Scotland and Northern Ireland.

In July 2005, Griffiths organized the advocacy group “Fighting for Herceptin” and successful lobbied the British Parliament after the NHS refused her request to for the life-prolonging breast cancer drug Herceptin because of the cost of the treatment.

Three years later, Dorothy continues to be a cancer survivor and advocate for women and breast cancer, pushing the NHS to offer Herceptin treatment. However, the drug can still only be prescribed to women with advanced breast cancer. Recent clinical trials overwhelmingly show that the drug also has positive effects for many women with early-stage breast cancer.

http://herceptin.dorothygriffiths-bcaf.org.uk/news.html