Helping out
REGION: After battling breast cancer for three years, a Longburn mum is facing a monthly bill of $5900 to stay alive, so the community has stepped in.
After battling breast cancer for three years, a Longburn mum is now facing a monthly bill of $5900 to stay alive.
So the community has stepped in to make a lifesaving drug more accessible for the 32-year-old mother-of-three.
Rebekah Sands-cade has metastatic breast cancer, which is the most advanced stage of breast cancer, and it has spread to her bones, brain and lungs.
She was diagnosed at 29 and with no family history of breast cancer, she was a shocked when she was told the news.
Not wanting to worry anybody, Sands-cade and her partner kept the news between them while she tried different treatments.
But recently, Sands-cade was told her cancer had become more aggressive and was growing.
Her last chance was a drug called Ibrance, which is not publicly funded.
Now her family is trying to find $5900 a month for the medication that could prolong her life.
Fellow Longburn mum Courtney Mcallister said the community was shocked by Sandscade’s plight and wanted to help.
So Mcallister decided to hold a Zumba night to raise money.
She is a Zumba instructor and said Sands-cade used to come to some of her classes.
‘‘Rebekah is the same age as me and I also have two kids.
‘‘It was a real easy thought that this could be put on to raise funds for her.’’
Mcallister said the community had not known about Sands-cade’s struggles until a Givealittle page was made.
‘‘We have had so much support.’’
The Zumba class to raise money for Sands-cade is being held tomorrowat 7pm at the Longburn Community Centre.
Tickets are $20 for adults and children under 12 can get in free, with all the money raised going towards Sands-cade.
Amanda Wright and her son Louie Wright had also been involved in organising the event, getting spot prizes and organising sound, and Mcallister said she could not have done it without them.
Breast Cancer Aotearoa Coalition chairwoman Libby Burgess said hundreds of Kiwi women could potentially benefit from Ibrance now it was available.
The drug offers hope for people with advanced hormone receptorpositive and Her2-negative breast cancer, she said.
It would give them a better quality of life and more time with their loved ones.
To donate to the Sands-cade family go to givealittle.co.nz/cause/pleasehelpsaveourmumrebekah.