A TERMINALLY-ILL mother has secured a Parliamentary debate on cancer drug funding after a successful celebrity-backed Twitter campaign.

Jemma Peacock was inundated with more than 100,000 signatures following the launch of her campaign last month.

The delighted 31-year-old said she would now lobby MPs to make sure the issue was discussed.

Mrs Peacock, from Storrington, has gastrointestinal stromal tumour (GIST), a rare cancer found in the digestive system, which is currently incurable.

Drug Regorafenib can stem the spread of the disease and allow a patient to live for considerably longer.

But it has been removed from the Cancer Drugs Fund, making it much more difficult for patients with GIST to access it.

Mrs Peacock, who has two young daughters, Kacie, six, and Willow, four, launched an online petition calling for the drug to be reinstated.

It needed to hit 100,000 signatures to secure a debate and with the help of a Twitter campaign this was achieved in just over a month.

Mrs Peacock said: “The whole campaign has been totally overwhelming.

“Not many people felt we could do it and there were times when it seemed just too big a mountain to climb. “GIST cancer is so rare that hardly anyone had ever heard of it so it was hard to get the ball rolling.

“There was a turning point a couple of weeks ago when we seemed to be in every newspaper and celebrities started tweeting using the #100000voices hashtag.

“In the last few days things have just exploded and we still have to pinch ourselves to believe what we’ve managed to achieve. “#100000voices has been about a community of ordinary people coming together to support those who needed a voice and it’s been wonderful and emotional to be part of something so special.”

She added: “Now we have to ensure that we get this issue debated and that when it is debated, the right decision is made.

“There are so few of us GIST patients requiring Regorafenib, the total cost to treat us all is actually relatively small.

“We will collectively be doing everything we can to ensure a high turnout for the debate. After all, this is about giving people quality time with their loved ones and I don't think anyone should be putting a price on that.”

The petition was signed by people across the UK as petitions on the Government website can only be signed by UK residents.

Well known supporters include Russell Brand, Joan Collins, Boy George, Omid Djalili, Larry Lamb, Paddy McGuinness, Vernon Kay, Ian Rankin, Zoe Ball, Ruby Turner, Edwyn Collins, Dawn French, Les Dennis, Irvine Walsh and Davina McCall.

It is believed the debate is more likely to be take place in the new Parliament after the election.