CANCER sufferer Alyson Cooper, who won her battle to be given a life-saving wonder drug, may start her Herceptin treatment on Tuesday.

Bolton mum-of-two Mrs Cooper, who described the decision to fund Herceptin as "giving her a future", could start the year-long course of the drug while in hospital having chemotherapy.

She said: "It would be fantastic if I could start it, but I won't know until I get there.

"It's my consultant's decision, so it's fine whenever he decides to give it to me because I know that I can definitely be given the drug.

"Knowing that is just such a weight off my mind. It was so stressful not knowing if I would have a future, but now I know that I do, its absolutely wonderful."

Mrs Cooper, from Bradshaw, who worked as a nurse for 25 years, was first diagnosed with breast cancer 13 years ago, but thought she had beaten the disease, only for it to return earlier this year.

She was told she could have just two years to live, but that her chances would dramatically improve if she was given Herceptin.

Bolton's health bosses initially refused to fund Mrs Coopers treatment but, following a meeting of the 14 Primary Care Trusts on Friday, that decision was reversed.

It has been decided Herceptin will be given to all women who would benefit from it and who are registered with a Greater Manchester GP and who are having treatment at the Christie Hospital.

The clinicians of each patient must also be confident the potential benefits outweigh any side-effects.

It is believed there will be about 300 patients treated in Greater Manchester every year as a result of the decision, costing £7.9 million.

Until Friday, Herceptin was only available to women with advanced breast cancer. It will now be given to women in the early stages of the illness.