'Herceptin heroes' take plea for superdrug to Parliament

Breast cancer survivor Nicola Russell with supporters at Parliament yesterday. Picture / Paul Estcourt

Bald-headed "Herceptin heroes" came to Parliament yesterday to support a petition that the breast cancer drug be publicly funded for patients in the early stages of the disease.

Among them was 32-year-old Nicola Russell, an Irishwoman who came to New Zealand nine years ago.

Her 3-year-old daughter died of an aggressive bone cancer last year, the same year Ms Russell was diagnosed with HER2 positive breast cancer.

Her oncologist advised her to start treatment with Herceptin "if I could afford it so I could be here to see my son grow up".

Aletia Hudson, 33, is also fund-raising for Herceptin and needs to pay $25,000 for chemotherapy.

In tears, Ms Hudson said her oncologist had told her Herceptin would be a good thing for her.

"I feel unsupported by the Government at the moment, by the Labour Government who I voted for, who I won't be voting for next time. They've let me down in a lot of areas since I found out I've been unwell."

Government funding for Herceptin is available for patients in the advanced stages of breast cancer.

The Breast Cancer Advocacy Coalition's Libby Burgess said Herceptin was "not yet funded in New Zealand for those who have early-stage breast cancer, that is, cancer which has not yet spread to other organs".

Patients get Herceptin only if they could raise between $80,000 and $190,000 a year to pay for it, she said.

Women had sold or were mortgaging their homes, or organising huge fund-raising activities in their communities to pay for the drug.

The Government's drug licensing agency Medsafe is considering widening the use of Herceptin. Its decision is due next week.

The petition was started eight weeks ago by breast cancer sufferer Anne Hayden, who delivered a box of more than 18,000 signatures wrapped in a bright pink bow to National MP Jackie Blue, a former breast physician, at Parliament yesterday.

Ms Hayden said she and her husband were borrowing $127,000 to pay for one year's treatment with the drug.

She had started the petition after hearing of Ms Russell's struggle to raise funds.

"Breast cancer is a family disease. It's only when it hits you or one of yours that you can fully appreciate this. My family was hit hard, so hard that my daughter even gave up smoking," Ms Hayden said.

Labour MP Maryan Street, deputy chairwoman of Parliament's health select committee, said if Medsafe approved the use of Herceptin in early-stage breast cancer, Pharmac would be able to consider public funding for the early stages of the disease.

- NZPA