A little Hawaiian help for Sarah
Former Prime Minister Sir John Key gave away a stay at his multimilliondollar holiday home in Hawaii at a charity dinner trying to raise money for cancer treatment for Auckland detective Sarah Cato.
More than $40,000 was raised towards the drug Cato is using to treat her metastatic breast cancer, at the black-tie event at the Trusts Arena in West Auckland.
The evening, which drew 400 people, featured a string quartet, a band and a silent auction.
Key spontaneously offered Cato and her family a week’s stay at his Maui house and would even pay for their airfares.
A barbecue dinner with Police Minister Stuart Nash sold for around $2500 at the auction. Nash said he would front the cost of beers as well.
Lunch and a round of golf with Key at the Kauri Cliffs course where he played with former US President Barack Obama was sold for more than $3000.
A rudimentary drawing of the Beehive by former Prime Minister Bill English was sold for just over $1000.
“He had drawn the Beehive with a sun in the corner and a bee named
‘bee English’ floating around,” one guest told the Herald.
The drug, Perjeta, which the event was fundraising for, when used in conjunction with another drug, Herceptin, has been proven to reduce the risk of metastatic cancer worsening.
Cato, a 35-year-old mum of one, has been battling the disease with help of her wife, Keely, since her diagnosis four years ago.
She underwent a mastectomy, but soon afterwards her doctors discovered the disease had spread and was metastatic, or incurable.
The years following have involved a gruelling course of chemotherapy, radiation and rounds of Herceptin.
Work on several high-profile criminal investigations has been punctuated by frequent trips to the hospital, and Cato continues to juggle her treatment with working full-time.
As well as being around for Keely and daughter Emma, Cato says serving her community gives her a purpose to keep fighting for. Perjeta became fully funded by Pharmac at the start of last year — but only for patients who had not been previously treated with Herceptin or chemotherapy. “Because I was diagnosed four years earlier I don’t qualify for funding,” Cato said.
“There was, last year, 160 of us who didn’t qualify for the funding.” Cato sees the treatment, which she described as “gnarly”, as being crucial for her to be around for Keely and Emma.
However, it comes with an almighty price tag.
A course of Perjeta is administered every three weeks, at a cost of $7000.
Cato said they had been “very fortunate” with donations for the silent auction — which included experiences like heading out on to Auckland’s harbour with members of Emirates Team New Zealand.
Key’s luxurious Hawaiian retreat is in Maui. The Herald reported in 2009 that it it was bought for $5.6m.
“The 322sq m townhouse has a mini-bar and flat-screen TV in the master bedroom, three en-suite bathrooms, a Lani barbecue area with grill and outdoor fridge, a private lift, limestone floors, plush carpet and cherry cabinetry, and comes with luxurious furnishings and artwork.”