South Canterbury patients welcome health funding boost
A boost in women’s health funding has been welcomed by two South Canterbury women who have undergone treatment for cancer.
On Sunday, Health Minister Andrew Little and Associate Health Minister Dr Ayesha Verrall announced $53 million will fund more effective screening tests for cervical cancer and breast cancer.
Casey Belworthy and Theresa Hart say the announcement is positive news for New Zealand women.
Belworthy said while her ovarian cancer would not have been picked up through screening, the Timaru administrator thought it was ‘‘fantastic’’ the Government was investing in women’s health.
Belworthy has completed two chemotherapy cycles and returned to work as an administrator two weeks after her last session in the first week of March.
‘‘I’m feeling really good, my hair is starting to grow back.’’
Her cancer was only picked up by a vigilant doctor referring her for a CT scan and ultrasound. A 4kg tumour was discovered.
‘‘I lost 10kg in the first two days after surgery. I had the perfect summer body but couldn’t enjoy it.’’
She is hoping her next appointment will show she is clear.
‘‘I still have a few nodules, but they think they’re noncancerous.’’
Side effects from the chemotherapy had hit her badly with ‘‘terrible nausea’’ and no appetite or energy.
She has permanent high frequency hearing loss from the drugs and temporary numbness in her feet which should come right in about six months.
Her mother had to take time off work to get her to appointments and look after her so Belworthy is very grateful for the community’s support through a Givealittle page which raised $7600.
‘‘It meant we didn’t have to worry about paying bills or my mum’s mortgage. It was great. Thank you.’’
Although she now has only half an ovary there is still hope she will be fertile, but she won’t know until she tries.
Breast cancer survivor Theresa Hart, who was diagnosed in October, 2019, said she had found the screening system good.
‘‘[More government funding] is a good thing. It’s never too late,’’ Hart said.
She said she understood why some women were hesitant to have a smear test, as it was so invasive, and thought a home testing kit would hopefully encourage more women to have it.
Cancer Society’s Canterbury-West Coast Division health promotion manager Martin Witt said he welcomed the Government’s investment in the cervical screening and breast screening programmes.
He thought the HPV home testing kit should have been introduced sooner and women over 70 should be entitled to breast screening.
‘‘We know that cervical cancer can be eliminated through HPV screening, vaccination and treatment. The new HPV screening test is a more effective test, with the option for women to sample at home, and it will reduce the testing requirements to once every five years for most women.
‘‘With the Government having first announced a move to HPV self-testing in 2016, we believe this has taken too long. Selfscreening can help overcome many of the identified barriers particularly for Ma¯ori, Pacific and Asian women whose screening rates are currently significantly lower than those of European women,’’ Witt said.
While the Cancer Society also supports the announcement regarding the national breast screening programme, Witt said the organisation would like to see the programme extended to cover women in their early 70s. The scheme only covers women aged 45-69.
‘‘Although we are pleased with these announcements, we hope to see further investments in cancer screening and prevention in Budget 2021, for example, the introduction of a lung cancer screening programme.’’
‘‘[More government funding] is a good thing. It’s never too late.’’ Theresa Hart