A GRANDMOTHER from Darlington is the first patient to go public about the new generation of revolutionary cancer drugs developed in the North-East.

Jean Vipond, 69, from Darlington, credits a new drug called Rucaparib with extending her life.

The retired mother-of-two and grandmother-of-two, was diagnosed with ovarian cancer in 2008 and given the devastating news that her cancer was terminal in 2012.

But since February 2012 she has been treated at the Sir Bobby Robson Cancer Research Trials Centre, at Newcastle’s Freeman Hospital with what has been dubbed the first ‘Geordie cancer drug’ - developed by Newcastle University scientists working at the centre.

Speaking on International Clinical Trials Day Mrs Vipond said: “I was told there was nothing they could do and I only had a few months left.

“A trial was the only thing I could try and I got an appointment to come to the Sir Bobby Robson Centre and I was offered this drug. It is three and a bit years later now. It’s brilliant. The tumour is still there but the drug is hopefully still keeping it in check.”

“It’s three and a bit years later now. The tumour is still there but the drug is hopefully still keeping it in check. I can still go away on holiday and just try to live life to the full.”

She said it “meant the world” being able to see her children and grandchildren growing up.

Along with Sir Bobby’s widow, Lady Elsie Robson, Mrs Vipond was one of the guests at an event held to celebrate the benefits of charities, Newcastle University and the Newcastle Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust working together as a team.

Professor Ruth Plummer, director of the trials centre and a Cancer Research UK clinician, said Rucaparib is the first “Geordie cancer drug” to be developed by Newcastle scientists.

So far 84 patients in the UK have been treated with Rucaparib, including 18 at the Freeman Hospital.

“It’s been a great team effort and patients are benefiting from that partnership” she added.

The cancer trials centre was equipped by the Sir Bobby Robson Foundation and the charity also funds the post of a clinical trials doctor and specialist nurse.

Rucaparib is one of a promising new class of drugs called PARP inhibitors which can reduce the spread of cancer cells. The very first patient in the world to be given a PARP inhibitor was treated in Newcastle in 2003.

The clinical trial and research into Rucaparib has been funded by Cancer Research UK.