Cancer treatment in India best way forward for Whangārei dad Anthony Edwards

Anthony Edwards, centre, with partner Zoe Dyer and their children, is undergoing treatment in Chandigarh, India, for neuroendocrine cancer. Photo / Maru Henare

A Whangārei man with a rare form of cancer has gone to India for treatment that would have been expensive and protracted in New Zealand.

Anthony Edwards’ whānau is grateful for support – both financial and emotional – to help get him the life-saving treatment.

Anthony, 41, was diagnosed with neuroendocrine cancer in spring last year, months after first getting stomach pains, said his brother Aperahama, who is also chair of Ngātiwai Trust Board.

Delays included Anthony’s GP not telling him the results of a scan, confirming the cancer, until several weeks after they were available, Aperahama said.

“As a whānau, we started to become really concerned because it felt like he was lost in the system, there wasn’t any follow-up ... He was told he had cancerous tumours and very little else.”

The family decided to support Anthony to get private treatment in New Zealand, either paying it for it themselves or through fundraising, as he did not have health insurance.

But even private treatment had its delays and the cost, of an expected $150,000, was astronomical.

Fortunately, Anthony had contacts in Chandigarh, northern India, where he worked for years teaching English, Aperahama said.

Those contacts helped him find treatment quickly in a country that is the pharmaceutical capital of the world.

Anthony flew to India on December 6 to start his treatment with scans and a hormone suppressant. He will return to New Zealand for two weeks this month and return to India in February for radiation called Peptide Receptor Radionuclide Therapy, or PRRT.

Partner Zoe Dyer, who has just returned from a stay in India, said the health system there was speedy.

“In New Zealand, it was a four to 12-month wait, in India it’s already in progress.

“There are 1.4 billion people and, because of the amount of people, it’s so well equipped and resourced, plus it’s the pharma capital of the world.”

She said another important aspect of healthcare treatment in India was the incorporation of more holistic practices through Ayurvedic medicine.

The Edwards whānau, including Aperahama Edwards, have been busy fundraising for Anthony's treatment in India, running a stall at the Matapouri Gala which will be replicated at this Saturday's Tūtūkākā Twilight Markets. Photo / Michael Cunningham

This aligns with Māori rongoā, which was not as widely accepted.

“We’ve been doing both the wairua [spiritual] and the medical model – the medical model supports that, which is really cool.”

Despite the benefits of treatment in India, having Anthony so far away was hard on the family, with he and Zoe having seven children between them.

“It’s hard on everyone, not just the kids or me, it’s hard on his brothers and his mum and his work. We all miss him so much and it would be so much easier if New Zealand could just do what they’re doing over there,” she said.

Meanwhile, fundraising for Anthony’s treatment continues with his wider whānau running a stall at the Tūtūkākā Markets this Saturday from 4pm to 8pm.

Aperahama said an art auction, featuring works donated by Māori artists, would be held in February.

The whānau have also set up a Givealittle page for those wanting to donate online.

The best thing about the Givealittle page had been the ability for Anthony to read all the messages of support, Aperahama said.

“In his struggling moments, he’s really appreciated being able to go on there and read the comments. We realised quite early on the value of that matches, if not outweighs, the monetary value.

“He’s just a very humble, kind, generous and giving person. He’s the last person you would’ve thought anything like this would ever happen to.”

Denise Piper is a news reporter for the Northern Advocate, focusing on health and business. She has more than 20 years in journalism and is passionate about covering stories that make a difference.