ANN Tittley was a special woman. She became the face of the campaign to provide life-saving treatment to victims of leukaemia in England.

Ann, from Newton Aycliffe, in County Durham, wrote to Tony Blair, highlighting the fact that a remarkably successful drug called Glivec was not immediately available on the National Health Service in England, but was prescribed for sufferers in Scotland.

Her fight - a clearly just and urgent one - was supported by The Northern Echo.

At last, we can report today that the anomaly has been resolved, and leukaemia victims in England can now be given Glivec without them first having to be treated with the less effective drug Interferon.

It also represents a proud victory for North-East specialist Dr Stephen O'Brien, who has done more than most to bang the drum for Glivec. He was the first specialist in Europe to demonstrate the revolutionary qualities of the drug six years ago, and we applaud his efforts.

Tragically, Ann cannot join in the celebrations about the breakthrough because she died two months ago from an another, unrelated form of cancer.

Her husband Ken has written to The Northern Echo thanking us for our support.

But it is his brave wife who deserves the thanks of everyone touched by leukaemia for the way she took the fight for Glivec to the very top.