A WOMAN who spearheaded a successful campaign to get a cancer treatment unit in Hereford has died aged 77.

Angela Lloyd and her husband Allan started the ‘Cut the Cancer Misery Miles’ campaign in 2005 when faced with travelling from their Kington home to Cheltenham for treatment – a journey which took some residents on the Welsh border several hours each way.

With the help of the Hereford Times and our readers, the campaign gathered pace and – four years later – plans were drawn up for the Macmillan Renton Unit at Hereford County Hospital.

In 2011 the unit was opened much to the delight of Angela and Allan.

“When we realised that people were travelling from far west of us including Rhayader we decided to actually put things right,” said Mr Lloyd.

“Our campaign was highly successful, not only raising more than £3.4 million but getting chemotherapy and radiotherapy treatment in Hereford as well which nobody thought was possible as the population was well below that set by the government for cancer treatment.

“The support from the Hereford Times brought the problem to the surface and shamed the government.

“It was a huge battle but the will of the people eventually won. Without Angela by my side the campaign wouldn’t have been successful. She highlighted the problem as a cancer patient.

“At the time a consultant said to us that if the disease didn’t kill her the journey to Cheltenham would. It doesn’t matter whether it was on winter roads or in the summer, every journey was hard and took some people up to three hours each way.”

Angela beat cancer with the help of the new unit but suffered severe dementia in her later years.

Mr Lloyd said that currently there is one radiotherapy machine in Hereford and is campaigning for a second linac machine – which was promised in 2016.

When the current machine is being serviced patients still have to travel to Cheltenham for treatment.

“She was the flag bearer and it was a crusade that she took part in whole heartedly,” added Allan.

“Her cancer treatment proved to be successful with the help not only of the unit but the thought that she had been successful.

“To keep her memory alive I will continue with the campaign and keeping her name alive is important.”

To mark the couple’s 60th wedding anniversary last year, Allan ascended the six Welsh Mountain peaks and plans to continue to raise awareness and support for St Michael’s Hospice.

Angela and Allan came to Kington nearly 60 years ago and had five children who all attended Lady Hawkins’ School. Mrs Lloyd is also survived by 13 grandchildren and two great grandchildren.