Tributes paid to 'NI Cancer Warrior'

Tributes have been pouring in for mum and cancer campaigner Melanie Kennedy who died in the early hours of Tuesday morning.

The Bangor woman was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2014 and campaigned for the life-prolonging drug Kadcyla to be made available on the NHS in Northern Ireland.

It was accessible to some cancer patients in Scotland at the time but the Department of Health in Northern Ireland required individual funding requests for treatment.

The process required patients here to present a special case for access to cancer drugs, otherwise available in other parts of the UK.

Speaking to Downtown Radio Cool FM back in 2018, Melanie explained:

"When my treatment stopped working, I knew that there was a drug that would be beneficial to me but you had to apply for it through what's called the Individual Funding Request.

"My Oncologist did it although he told me before he did it, that I wouldn't get it.

"He more or less explained to me that the process is something called the 'exceptionality clause,' where I would have to respond to the treatment better than 95% of other people with the same condition as myself.

"He didn't have a clue how you would prove that, I certainly didn't have a clue how you would prove that, so when I dug a bit further into this 'exceptionality clause,' it soon became apparent to me that it was grossly unfair.

"A public consultation had been done on it when Jim Wells was Health Minister..."

"And it was found to be grossly unfair so I started my own campaign around this in 2016."

Melanie also stood as an independent in the 2017 assembly elections, on a health mandate.

She said she joined with other campaigners across Northern Ireland to try and change the Department of Health's policy to try and help other cancer patients here:

"I worked with Paula Bradshaw from the Alliance party and Cancer Focus because actually they had been campaigning about this for a long time.

"We were all very excited when the Health Minister met with me and did say she would invite us along to be involved in the consultations on changing the IFR because it did seem to be quite unfair."

Melanie launched a fundraising campaign with the help of friends and within 48 hours had reached her target of £20,000 to fund her treatment privately.

She also founded the charity Northern Ireland Cancer Advocacy Movement to raise awareness of breast cancer and provide help and support for patients and their families.

Her mother Christine Kennedy announced the news of her death in a facebook post on Tuesday morning:

"Melanie’s Mum here, it is with much heartbreak that I need to let her friends know, our precious wee warrior passed away peacefully at 2 o’clock this morning.

"Heaven has gained an angel and we are bereft."

Tributes followed soon after with Alliance MLA Paula Bradshaw among those expressing their condolences.

One post described Melanie as 'wonder woman' while another said she had got her 'angel wings.'

Another wrote:

"So sorry to hear that Melanie has been promoted to heaven.

"She was a morning 🌟 sparkle 🌟 on my news feed.

"💔She will be missed. Another beautiful lady taken far to soon.

"I am sure Carol Bareham Julie Scates will be looking after her.

"'Look Up' and you will see her sparkle 🌟 RIP Melanie.

"Huge hugs & condolences to AJ, family and friends at this sad time."