A DETERMINED East Dorset mum has raised £30,000 for a breakthrough cancer treatment that could prolong her life.

Kathy Craven, who lives near Wimborne and has been fighting breast cancer for five years, was refused treatment following a recent NHS funding clampdown.

Just two months ago the 43-year-old mum-of-three would have received a new type of radiation therapy.

But she was not referred to hospital until it was too late.

Kathy claims she went to her GP’s surgery 15 times with symptoms that indicated her cancer had spread to her liver but was told it was probably nothing serious.

The therapy, which could halve Mrs Craven’s tumours, was removed from the Cancer Drugs Fund list of treatments in April.

Her hopes of receiving Selective Internal Radiation-Spheres, known as SIRT, in which millions of tiny radioactive beads are injected into the artery that supplies the cancer, were dashed when her medical teams at Poole and Southampton were told by NHS England they could not treat her.

Undaunted by the devastating news, her family vowed to raise the funds necessary for private treatment.

Kathy, who lives with her partner Brian Russell and three boys; Alfie, 13, Finn, eight, and seven-year-old Casey, said: “It’s all come from donations.

“I have been totally overwhelmed by people’s generosity.

“Some people just gave me £1; the first donation was for £14 but it all added up.

“I was elated when I discovered there was a real chance of extending my life, but it turned to despair.

“I am fighting for my life.”

After being touched by her story, one big-hearted Daily Echo reader sent a £500 cheque to Jenny to help pay for her treatment.

Kathy will be admitted to Southampton hospital tomorrow.

She said: “I will stay the night and go back six weeks later to have the second half of the treatment.

“It depends on how I respond but it could give me extra time with my family.

“I’m just trying to plod on and get through it.”