A brave mum of two who faces a daily battle with cancer has taken her fight for better services to Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt.
Vicky Wilkes, 41, of Great Barr, thought she had successfully beaten breast cancer ten years ago but last year was given the devastating news it had returned, spread and there was no cure for this secondary cancer.
"My world shattered. I have two young children who need their mum," she said.
Instead of a cure, there is routine management and rounds of treatment to keep it under control for as long as possible.
She added: "I am living with a condition that will cut my life short one day when the treatment options run out.
"Secondary breast cancer can be an isolating condition as it is so widely misunderstood.
"It cannot be cured so the treatment for it never ends and both this and the cancer cause physical side effects."
She faces a daily struggle on top of the regular ups and downs of family life with husband Dave and children Evie, aged eight, and Samuel, six.
Despite all this, she has also been on the campaign trail with charity Breast Cancer Care - challenging senior government ministers at the recent Conservative Party Conference in Birmingham, followed by a visit to lobby MPs at the House of Commons.
The charity's 'Secondary: Not Second Rate' campaign is calling for guaranteed better treatment for the condition.
Vicky was able to challenge Jeremy Hunt over the care during the party conference.
She said: "He told me early detection of primary breast cancer is the key to dealing with the disease and, while I agreed that this can make all the difference with the outcome for many, I politely explained that, despite my breast cancer being detected very early, my cancer still spread and now I'm living with secondary, incurable breast cancer."
She said many people were not aware of the difference between primary and secondary breast cancer and raised the issue with numerous MPs and ministers including Education Secretary Justine Greening and Work and Pensions Secretary Damian Green during the conference.
The campaigners are particularly concerned that two thirds of hospitals do not know how many of their patients have secondary breast cancer, making planning care difficult.
This was followed up with a visit to Parliament to meet more MPs and watch Bury St Edmunds MP Jo Churchill raise the issue at Prime Minister's Questions.
Vicky said: "Unfortunately, the Prime Minister wasn't prepared for the question and doesn't appear to recognise the difference between primary and secondary cancer.
"It was however great to see the subject raised so Breast Cancer Care will be working hard to follow up and keep the momentum.
"I am proud to have played a part in this and just hope we can make a difference."
