Queen's Birthday Honours 2019: Cancer campaigner appointed MBE

Jacci Woodcock said it feels "a little bit surreal" to be appointed an MBE

A woman who spearheaded a campaign to change employment law for the terminally ill has been appointed MBE in the Queen's Birthday Honours.

Jacci Woodcock became the face of Dying to Work after she said her former employer tried to force her out when she was diagnosed with cancer.

The campaign has been backed by dozens of MPs and employers.

The 61-year-old, from Milford in Derbyshire, hopes receiving the honour will help her bid to change the law.

The TUC campaign Dying To Work aims to change the law to give terminally ill staff more protection

Ms Woodcock first recovered from breast cancer in 2000, but when it returned in 2012 she was given a diagnosis of just 12 months to live.

She reached a confidential settlement with her former employer, and after joining the Dying to Work campaign, her case was raised in Parliament, with David Cameron - the then Prime Minister - promising to "look very carefully" at the issue.

Employers responsible for hundreds of thousands of workers have also signed up to a Dying to Work charter, backed by the Trades Union Congress (TUC), to offer advice on how to help the terminally ill in work and provide protection for employees.

When she received the letter informing her of the honour, Ms Woodcock initially thought it was a joke, but said she is now excited about the prospect of recognition from the Royal Family.