Ambulance medic Lauren Wyllie, 33, is battling terminal stage four breast cancer and needs $80k for unfunded life-extending treatment.
Ambulance medic Lauren Wyllie, 33, is battling terminal stage four breast cancer and needs $80k for unfunded life-extending treatment.
An ambulance medic who has dedicated her life to saving others is fighting cancer for the second time on the back of a second opinion, which has given her hope of beating the disease.
Hawke’s Bay woman Lauren Wyllie, who turns 34 on Friday, beat breast cancer once. But it’s back at stage four, and this time, it’s terminal.
Wyllie, who works for Hato Hone St John, says her only treatment option this time is a drug called Sacituzumab, which costs $80,000 and is not publicly funded in New Zealand.
So she is reluctantly calling for community help to pay for it.
It all began in 2021 with a dull ache in her chest, something she noticed while bouncing around in the back of the ambulance. What she initially dismissed turned into a diagnosis of a cancerous lump in her breast in 2022.
“I’m not going to have a family, I’m not going to be able to buy a house and do all the things that I wanted to do,” Wyllie told Hawke’s Bay Today.
Her journey in New Zealand’s healthcare system has not been without hurdles.
She claims she was discharged from the oncology unit of Hawke’s Bay Fallen Soldiers’ Memorial Hospital after being told there were no further treatment options available.
The need for a lung biopsy and surgery was ruled out by her oncologist, she claimed.
But Wyllie said that was later overturned when she and her mother, Michelle Grant, sought a second opinion privately in Auckland.
Grant said the private consultation led to a different diagnosis and a path forward that included a mastectomy and more targeted treatment.
“In Hastings, [the oncologist] said that it wasn’t worth doing the lung biopsy because more than likely the cancer would be the same anyway, which it wasn’t,” Grant said.
“Around surgery, [the oncologist] said that they wouldn’t be going ahead with the mastectomy because that was not the recommendation for stage four cancer.
“However, in Auckland, our oncologist advised she should proceed with the mastectomy, which Lauren did.”
Grant said they were not making a complaint about the care they’d received and could not fault the nursing or wider team at Hawke’s Bay Hospital, who were “amazing”.
But Wyllie said she wanted people in her position to know the search for a second opinion was crucial.
“It’s just amazing how two different oncologists have such totally different perspectives.”
Lauren Wyllie (left) and her mother Michelle Grant highlight the importance of advocating for yourself and getting second opinions. Photo / Rafaella Melo
Hawke’s Bay Today sought comment from Health New Zealand regarding Wyllie’s first diagnosis.
Health NZ acting director of operations in Hawke’s Bay Rika Hentschel said the organisation had “great empathy” for Wyllie and acknowledged her concerns.
“We want the best health outcome for every patient that accesses our clinical services.”
Hentschel said patients were supported with information and referrals, including to private providers when needed, and encouraged Wyllie and her family to contact them for further discussion.
Hawke’s Bay residents needing radiation therapy currently travel to Palmerston North, but a new $37.2 million linear accelerator is being developed at Hawke’s Bay Hospital.
“We plan to increase the medical oncology workforce and infusion nurses to meet this increasing demand.”
Wyllie is now fundraising as it costs $10,000 for each dose of Sacituzumab.
“There’s no way in hell we’d be able to afford it,” she said.
She and her mother even considered selling the house and moving to Australia, where the drug is fully funded through the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme.
Wyllie is undergoing an unfunded treatment that cost $80,000, made up of $10,000 for each dose of Sacituzumab.
For now, Wyllie is relying on the support of her family, friends, and community.
Her mother has launched a Givealittle campaign to raise the money needed to hopefully extend Wyllie’s life.
The page, along with other initiatives to raise money, has given them about 15% of the total amount.
“I spent my 20s working ... and doing all the things that you should be doing in your 20s, and not having babies and getting married, because that was what my 30s were for,” Wyllie said.
“It is just the normality, that’s all I want. The thing that everyone else can have.”
Some fundraising events are planned to support Wyllie’s journey:
April 26 — The Pink Run for Lauren - Evers Swindell Reserve information via Facebook event or Emily 027 623 9630
May 2 — Quiz Night at East Pier contact Courtney 021449943
May 10 — Lift for Life, Taupo -details via Facebook event
May 23 — Woman’s Wellness with guest speaker Dr Frances Pitsilis, Thirsty Whale Napier tickets via Eventbrite
