THE family of a woman fighting cancer for the second time has launched an appeal to send her on a 5,000-mile trip for treatment.

Pamela Aston, 46, of Upper Church Street, Spennymoor, County Durham, was diagnosed with breast cancer in 1998, and after a mastectomy and intense therapy thought she had beaten the disease.

Last October, the mother-of-one was given the devastating news that she has secondary cancer of the liver, which doctors in the UK have told her is incurable.

Mrs Aston, who is also known as Pam Ellis, and her family have launched a campaign to raise £20,000 for her to receive Issels treatment at the Oasis of Hope Hospital, in Tijuana, Mexico.

Issels therapy uses alternative medicine alongside conventional treatment and the hospital claims to improve life expectancy of patients by up to 45 years.

Mrs Aston, a leisure attendant at Spennymoor Leisure Centre, said: "I don't want to give in to it. I just want a chance to see my two year-old granddaughter, Rochelle, grow up.

"When my niece, Rebecca Armstrong, and daughter Michelle, read about Issels treatment in The Northern Echo, it gave me something to aim for.

"It would have been easy to mope around and give in to the cancer after I was told it was incurable - but no, we are all determined to raise the money.

"Everyone has immediately got behind us and we've already raised £3,000, so I'm confident I'll get to Mexico and have a go at beating this."

A series of events have been organised, including a sponsored abseil, raffles, book sales, and a disco and pie and pea supper at Spennymoor Leisure Centre on Sunday night.

Supporters are also taking part in the Great North Walk, in Weardale, on Sunday, July 13, and raising funds through sponsorship.

To obtain tickets for Sunday's event, or to help in any other way, call Michelle on 07941 896009. An account has been set up at Barclay's Bank for the Pam Aston Flight for Life Campaign, which is open for public scrutiny.