CANCER patients will have the burden of prescription charges lifted from them soon, thanks to campaigning from Macmillan Cancer Support and News Shopper readers.

At the Labour Party Conference on September 22, the Prime Minister announced from next year there will be free prescriptions in England for cancer patients and those with chronic conditions.

Macmillan has campaigned for a fairer deal on prescription charges for cancer patients since 2005, and is delighted the Government has listened to us.

Cancer patients in England have been struggling to pay these unfair charges for too long.

I would personally like to thank our supporters and your readers who wrote in to back this campaign.

It is a fantastic result for people living with cancer and must now be implemented quickly and clearly by the Government.

STEPHEN RICHARDS, Macmillan cancer support