The Manchester Evening News has scooped a prestigious award from the Cancer Research Campaign.

The paper has won the CRC's north-west media support of the year award, after it highlighted the unfairness of the postcode "lottery" of health care.

Health chiefs were forced to make a U-turn after the MEN told the story of a dying cancer patient's battle to stay alive, as she tried to find £2,000 a month to pay for the drug Herceptin, denied to her on the NHS because of the cost.

Under the pressure of publicity it agreed to foot the bill and pay out £300,000 a year for the treatment of patients in the Greater Manchester area.

The annual award is presented to media organisations which have given significant support to the CRC and its mission of raising awareness of cancer.

Joanna Lavelle, regional director of the CRC, praised the paper for the support it has given to the campaign.

She said: "A regional newspaper has an important role to play in the community in which it serves and the Manchester Evening News has made an outstanding contribution."

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