A group of women from Deal have taken part in a Breast Cancer Now photo shoot campaigning against the withdrawal of a drug which is keeping one of them alive.

Chantele Rashbrook, 46, of Middle Deal Road, runs The BC Girls, a monthly support group for women who have or have had breast cancer.

She has secondary breast cancer and is being treated with Kadcyla every three weeks to reduce its size but advisory body Nice is reviewing drugs made available through the old cancer drugs fund, and has rejected Kadcyla for use on the NHS in England.

At £90,000 per patient per year, it believes manufacturer Roche’s price for the life-extending drug is too high. Meanwhile discussions continue.

Although Mrs Rashbrook will still be entitled to the drug if it is withdrawn, she fears some of her friends would not if they developed secondary breast cancer.

So they are fighting the proposals and they’re urging Deal and Dover MP Charlie Elphicke to join them.

Mrs Rashbrook said: “Kadcyla is keeping me alive. If I wasn’t on it, it wouldn’t be a positive outlook.

“For me, it has very few side effects. I might feel a little fatigued for a day or two but then I’m back to my normal self.

“I’ve run a marathon while being on it.”

She believes taking the drug away from people is manslaughter.

“You’re attempting murder by withdrawing it,” she added.

The women staged the Breast Cancer Now campaign in front of the Houses of Parliament in February. Using boards and a megaphone they made their stand.

It will go live later this year.

Over the past three months, the women have also taken part in debates and committee meetings with ministers. They have recently met with MP Charlie Elphicke.

To read the full story and for more pictures, pick up this week's East Kent Mercury - out now.