Terminally ill Derbyshire woman's campaign takes huge step forward

Jacci Woodcock, of Milford, wants to fight for others who are terminally ill.

More than one million people are now covered by a voluntary charter signed by companies and organisations in response to a crusade by Jacci Woodcock, who has limited life expectancy because of progressive cancer.

Jacci, from Milford, believes she suffered discrimination following her diagnosis because her company wrongly said she would not be able to continue to work.

Her campaign was taken up by her MP, Pauline Latham, her union, the GMB, and the TUC.

At Prime Minister's Question Time on Wednesday, Mrs Latham asked Prime Minister Theresa May: "Is it not now time that the Government took this issue on and addressed the anomaly in the law?"

In response, Mrs May said: "I am pleased to hear that the number of employees covered by the charter has now reached the 1 million mark.

"Employers are making commitments to their employees by signing the charter—that they will not be dismissed and that their families’ financial security will not be put at risk.

"I will ask a Minister to write to my hon. Friend about the related aspects of the Disabilities Act and about looking at the issue in relation to legislation."