Cancer treatment campaigner Irfon Williams from Bangor has been posthumously awarded the People’s Campaigner for 2017 at the annual Welsh Politician of the Year Awards.
The award was given by ITV Wales politics programme the Sharp End, in recognition for Irfon’s achievements outside professional politics.
Irfon, who died aged 46 in May this year after a lengthy battle with bowel cancer, set up the campaign ‘Hawl i Fyw’ for better access to cancer drugs in Wales.
The Campaign was inspired by Irfon‘s own experience when he was denied access to specialist cancer drugs because he lived in Wales. Realising he was not alone in this struggle, the #HawliFyw campaign was set up to shine a light on this great injustice that existed in the Welsh healthcare system, based on the principle that you cannot put a price on life, and that a Welsh life should be equal to any other.
Irfon’s widow Becky Williams received her late husband’s award at a ceremony in Cardiff and in tonight’s edition of the Sharp End (ITV Wales 10:45pm), Becky talks about her husband’s campaigning.
Becky said the family was incredibly proud of Irfon and honoured to accept the award on is behalf.
Becky said: “The Hawl i Fyw campaign was inspired by Irfon’s story and shone a light on the inequity of cancer treatment across the UK after Irfon was denied a treatment in Wales to extend his life.
“Irfon had to move to England where he received the drug recommended by clinicians and extended his life by over 2 years.
“Irfon is missed terribly by all who knew him however we as a family can draw on the fact that something positive has come out of the tragedy of losing our wonderful Irfon.”
