A NORTH YORKSHIRE man whose terminally-ill wife is in Mexico receiving alternative cancer treatment has made a desperate plea for help to raise an extra £5,000.

Kevin Axelby, 42, of Wharram-le-Street, near Malton, raised £18,000 and borrowed a further £10,000 to send his wife Stef to the Oasis Of Hope Hospital in Mexico for the Issels Treatment as a last-ditch attempt to save the life of the 37-year-old mother-of-one.

The Issels Treatment focuses on rebuilding the immune system and reducing toxins in the body rather than attacking the cancerous cells alone.

But since Stef flew to Mexico a week ago she has developed internal bleeding, which is a side-effect of earlier treatment in the UK, so she now needs an operation.

However, the treatment cannot take place at the private Mexican hospital without further payment.

Mr Axelby, who gave up his job as a builder to care for Stef full-time, said he was now desperate to raise an extra £5,000 so the operation could go ahead.

He said: "She had an operation in Leeds to have a stem line put in to her bladder. But because of all the chemotherapy she's had she has no lining in her bladder so she has developed internal bleeding.

"The other treatment is going to plan, it's just these other complications because of all the chemo she's had.

"She's holding her own but she cries a lot on the phone because she's in a lot of pain and she wants to come home.

"I'm just in a desperate position because they won't do this operation until I've got this money and I've put everything into it now - I'm running out of ideas."

A charity, Irene's Cancer Appeal, which uses Stef's first name, was set up to help get Stef to Mexico.

Anyone who can help, or offer fundraising ideas, is asked to phone Kevin Axelby on 07961 583938.

Updated: 10:17 Thursday, July 24, 2003