PARAMEDICS from South Western Ambulance Service are celebrating after raising enough money for a colleague to receive potentially life-saving treatment.

Staff from across the region have come together to raise £70,000 for Kathryn Osmond, from Newton Abbot, to undergo a treatment called Tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs).

Kathryn was diagnosed with stage four cancer and has undergone a number of aggressive treatments over the past five years.

The cancer spread to her bones, lungs, and lymphatic system, leaving her with a few months to live.

The Echo previously reported more than £40,000 had been raised to enable her access to the treatment, which isn't available on the NHS.

Campaigners now say the minimum amount has been raised and plans can now be put in place.

Kathryn said: "I'm just so grateful. Me and my family couldn't have asked for a better response.

"I didn't realise I touched that many people."

Kathryn said she had been touched by the experience, describing the fundraising campaign as 'crazy'.

She said: "I have been on a rollercoaster and my life has been a little bit upside down.

"I've gone from a quite private life to a million miles per hour."

As part of the fundraising campaign, Kathryn's colleagues including Sasha Johnston co-ordinated a 'running man' challenge in Bristol.

After this, ambulance teams across the South West spent their days off performing their own routines, which were compiled into one video and put on YouTube.

The 'running man' challenge is a viral dance trend which has spread across social media. Many emergency services from across the world have performed their own version of the dance in recent weeks.

As part of the potential treatment, a tumour will be surgically removed, from which good lymphocytes will be harnessed and grown in a lab.

As these lymphocytes grow, Kathryn will receive chemotherapy to wipe out the immune system. The lymphocytes would then be put in, alongside a drug called interleukin to promote their growth.

These would then help to attack the cancer. The whole process would take about three months.

Fundraisers will continue raising money for Kathryn as there will be travel, accommodation and additional treatment costs depending upon how well her body copes with this aggressive treatment.

For more information about the Running Man Challenge and Kath's treatment, please visit runningman4kath.com