Patients march for life-giving drugs
Kiwi women with advanced breast cancer have marched on Parliament, calling for funding for medicines that could help add years to their lives.
More than 100 women and their supporters presented two petitions to Parliament yesterday, demanding funding for Ibrance and Kadcyla – medicines hailed as ‘‘game changers’’ for those battling the disease.
Petition organiser Terre Nicholson said the medicines were needed ‘‘desperately.’’
‘‘More time with our loved ones, to celebrate a 25th birthday or 50th wedding anniversary, to prepare our children for growing up without a mother. That’s something worth fighting for.’’
National health spokesman Michael Woodhouse was on hand to accept the petitions, alongside several members of the health select committee. Woodhouse thanked the gathered crowd for its perserverance.
Along with petitions, a request was also made that Pharmac – the Government’s drug agency – be reviewed, with its processes, timelines and culture all put under the microscope.
Labour MP Louisa Wall was open to the request.
‘‘We stand here in your support of an analysis and assessment of that system and that’s all we can do . . . that will take some time.’’
With the Pharmac review on the table, the gathered group turned its attention to the more immediate need of funding drugs that could prolong the lives of women with advanced breast cancer by two years.
Hamilton woman Christine Hussey made the trip down to Wellington especially for the march.
Having been diagnosed with metastatic breast cancer a year ago, Hussey recognised the importance of improving access to the best cancer medicines available.
‘‘Ibrance will give me 20 extra months . . . but it’s $6000 a month here and I can’t afford that.’’
Hussey is part of a group known as Metavivors, advanced breast cancer sufferers who support each other through Facebook and friendship.
They share advice and experiences, with the conversation often turning to the lack of treatment options available.
‘‘We simply want the same chance at extra years to live as citizens of other OECD countries have. New Zealand has fallen way behind our counterparts in providing life extending drugs for the metastatic breast cancer community,’’ said Sue Wall-Cade, a fellow petition organiser.
Breast Cancer Foundation NZ chief executive Evangelia Henderson described the lack of funding for advanced breast cancer drugs as ‘‘heartless and cruel’’.
‘‘Why do people have to set up a Givealittle page or, worse, sell their house to access these drugs? This is an opportunity to have a longer life, yet it’s out of reach for our women.
‘‘The fact that game-changing drugs exist, yet are not available, is the height of cruelty. And the fact that some people can pay for their own drugs while others can’t widens the disparity.’’
New research, published last month by the Breast Cancer Foundation NZ, showed the average survival rate for New Zealand woman with advanced breast cancer was 16 months, compared to two to three years for women living in Australia, Germany and France.