A MUM of twins who died from cancer will leave a legacy of support for other patients refused NHS funding for treatment, her husband says.

Nikki Phelps died aged 37 last Tuesday (May 11) just weeks after her Primary Care Trust, NHS West Kent, reversed its decision to refuse to pay for the drugs prolonging her life.

Friends and family of Mrs Phelps, who lived in Wrangling Lane in Luddesdown, had raised £11,000 pounds to buy her Sunitinib tablets after the trust refused her funding in February.

Her husband Bill, 46, said: “We will continue fundraising and are planning to set up a trust in Nikki’s name to financially support others who are refused NHS money for drugs.

“We are also keen to pressure the government into setting up a way drugs that have been prescribed but not used can go back into the system.

“I now have £3,100 worth of Sunitinib and if I was to take it to a hospital pharmacy they would destroy it because it has already been prescribed to someone, but it should be used.

“I’m going to send the Sunitinib to a gentleman up north who was refused NHS funding for the drug, so it will do some good.”

Mrs Phelps’ consultant recommended Sunitinib but the trust initially refused funding because it has not been fully tested on Multiple Endocrine Neoplasis (MEN1), the type of cancer she had.

She had been taking Sunitinib in the hope it would keep her alive long enough to see her two-year-old son Jack and Harry start school in two years.

However her rare form of cancer, which plagued her body with tumours, finally became too much for her at 3.40am on Tuesday in Hammersmith Hospital.

Mr Phelps said: “At the time she died, she had a picture of the boys on her chest and I was holding her hand and her mum and sister were there.

“She fought the cancer very bravely but in the end she realised the end was coming and I think on her own terms she went out peacefully and quietly.”

Mrs Phelps was diagnosed with MEN1 10 years ago and it was under control until November 2008, when it intensified and became fatal.

She last saw her sons when she went into hospital on April 18 and last spoke to them on the phone on May 7.

Deborah Ferrara, from Sole Street, helped organise the fundraising events for Mrs Phelps and praised her fighting spirit.

The 37-year-old said: “She was a special, brave lady who fought so hard to see her boys grow up, but in the end she just couldn’t fight anymore.”

Mr and Mrs Phelps ran a cattery together and would have celebrated their ninth wedding anniversary in August.

He says his wife remained upbeat throughout her illness, saying: “She was dealt a very poor hand but she played it as well as she could.”

Mrs Phelps funeral takes place at Luddesdown Church on Tuesday (May 25).

To help the fundraising, go to nikki-fundraising.co.uk