Kat’s story:
“Funded access to Keytruda opens a door to me that was previously closed”
Last October, Kat marked five years since her diagnosis of triple negative breast cancer (TNBC). The mother of two from Nelson was just 44 when she learnt she had the most aggressive form of breast cancer.
TNBC doesn’t respond to the hormone-blocking treatments that prevent breast cancer from returning, but a new immunotherapy drug called Keytruda can specifically target TNBC. Kat shared her story in the media to help us advocate for Keytruda to be funded in New Zealand, and now she’s overjoyed that it’s finally available to Kiwis with advanced TNBC.
I had just moved from Wellington to Nelson with my family three months earlier. I’d had a couple of weeks of feeling aches and pains in my chest, but just thought I’d pulled a muscle or slept funny. There were no apparent lumps or other symptoms but the soreness across my chest wall continued and while it was a busy time at work and I was travelling a lot, I had this niggling feeling that I needed to get it checked out. A couple of weeks later, I made an appointment to see a doctor, thinking it’d be nothing.
My GP could feel a tiny lump and thought it was most likely a cyst but decided to be cautious. I was referred for a mammogram and ultrasound, then had a biopsy. Two areas of concern had been found in my left breast and the biopsy confirmed they were cancer.
I try not to dwell on the possibility of the cancer returning but it’s always there. I felt an immense sense of relief when I’d heard Keytruda would be funded for advanced TNBC – it opens a door to me, and so many other people around Aotearoa, that was previously closed. I don’t know what the future holds for me but if one day I’m going to face the situation where I’ll need Keytruda, it gives me hope knowing that I won’t have to worry about how I’ll get it. And it gives me hope that things can change for the better and there can be better health outcomes for future generations.
When you’re faced with a breast cancer diagnosis, there are already so many factors you have to consider, you shouldn’t also have to question how you will finance your treatment. Knowing there are funded treatment options available takes away the additional strain and lets you focus on your health.
Breast Cancer Foundation NZ has an incredible platform that gives visibility to thousands of patient voices. As an individual, you can feel quite powerless and wonder how you can be heard and help to make change. The Foundation gives you a place where you can be part of a community and together have a stronger voice. Without the Foundation, I think as patients we’d be a lot more vulnerable. But instead, we have an amazing organisation that is in our corner and a place where we can go to be part of the fight for change.
Share your story
Have you been touched by breast cancer and would like to share your story? We’d love to hear more about it.
