CANNABIS-BASED DRUG EASES TERENCE'S PAIN

SEVERELY paralysed Terence Burch from Peterborough has been given
fresh hope in dealing with his painful condition after being given a
vital new drug.

Terence (65) has been tetraplegic, paralysed in all four limbs, since
June 2007 and his wife Angela Cavill-Burch (42) has been lobbying NHS
Peterborough since they moved to the city in 2009 for treatment to
help alleviate her husband's pain.

Addenbrooke's Hospital in Cambridge has now prescribed Sativex, which
is the first cannabis-based treatment to be licensed in the UK, to
help treat Terence's spasms which leave him screaming in agony.

Angela, who is Terence's sole carer at their home at St Edmund's
Court, Hampton, said: "It's a relief.

"The Sativex will potentially ease Terence's spasms. It will just
generally relax his body all over, hopefully take some of hs pain away
and loosen up his muscles.

"We are not expecting it to be a miracle cure but if it takes the edge
off his pain then it will be more than helpful for him.

"We're keeping everything crossed that finally we have found something
that works and gives Terence some life back again."

The drug was released by Dr Stephen Kirker, consultant in
Rehabilitation Medicine at Addenbrooke's Hospital.

He said: "Sativex is a new drug designed to treat muscle spasms in
patients with Multiple Sclerosis but it may help a small number of
aE(people with spasticity due to aE(other diseases.

"It was licensed for use at the end of June and we are just beginning
to consider it as an option for patients at Addenbrooke's."

As revealed by The Evening Telegraph in January, Terence became
paralysed after contracting the aE(bacterial infection Staphylococcus
Aureus while living in the United Arab Emirates in 2007.

It left Terence wheelchair-bound and suffering painful spasms, which
prevent him from sleeping for more than 20 minutes at a time.

Since returning to the UK to live in Peterborough in 2009, Angela has
been campaigning NHS Peterborough to provide treatment to help
alleviate her husband's pain.

Angela even undertook a six-day hunger strike this month in order to
grab the attention of the city's aE(primary care trust.

Her actions were in protest to a decision taken by the Trust to cancel
Terence's twice-weekly physiotherapy sessions.

She has now stopped her strike but is calling on the Trust to
re-commission a physiotherapist and provide a carer to help her look
after her husband.

NHS Peterborough Community Services spokesman said he could not
discuss individual cases but a "comprehensive review" of the care
provided to Terence had been carried out.

He said: "The health and well-being of Mr Burch and Mrs Cavill-Burch
remain a priority. Anyone who may need care and support is assessed by
NHS Peterborough Community Services to determine if they are eligible
for assistance.

"If they are eligible to receive services then a care plan is
developed to identify the level of care they need to meet their
specific needs. This plan is regularly reviewed."