Catherine Cooke

I'm hosting a Pink Ribbon Breakfast for the nine women diagnosed with breast cancer each day in New Zealand.

Hi, I‘m Catherine Cooke, a mum, friend to many, business owners and have been a saviour to many business owners over the years with my extensive business experience!  My life DNA is one of service to others. I have lived my life putting others first. Please read on and help me help others.

I know first hand how life can change in a blink of an eye.

On the 6th November 2024 I went for a routine mammogram and on the 20th November 2024 I found out I had aggressive triple negative breast cancer - I am now in the fight of my life for a health battle that is not fully funded and choosing between debt to survive to receive the necessary and proven 'keytruda' or run the wheel of russian roulette on what is only funded ‘not keytruda’.

I am seeing many others faced with the same choice and burden – financially crippling family or in some cases no ability to fund the choice due to financial constraints in an already difficult economic climate that is now limiting borrowings on people and high interest rates if one was to borrow.

Breast cancer affects both women and men, and for many of us, the battle isn’t just against the disease—it’s the cost of survival. Right now, I and many others must personally fund $80,000 for the life-saving drug ‘keytruda’ just to stay alive, and we are also faced with the reality of not being able to work as cancer and treatment doesn’t choose the days you can turn up fit and well.  How can one borrow money to pay for necessary treatment when they may not be able to service that debt.  It leaves the burden to the family.

This mental strain from the financial burden and choice is a reality that needs to change. Conversations happening are dire, when faced with wanting to be with your loved ones or to burden them with the financial strain.  I have cried many times over the burden I am placing on my family to survive – the weight is heavy.  It is unjust that what is proven to work, agreed to be funded, and is funded overseas, remains unfunded in New Zealand.

I’m using my journey to raise awareness, start conversations, and help others. Join me and Ah-Leen Rayner, CEO of the Breast Cancer Foundation, for a special brunch on Sunday, 30th March 2025, at Allely Estate – purchase tickets here and donate here or can’t make brunch, please donate from this page.

This event is for men and women—a chance to come together, share stories, and support an important cause. And selfishly, I’d love to see you all, soak up your hugs (virtual and in person!), and spend a few special hours together.

I am hopeful my media excerpt will be released in the next couple of weeks where I talk about not only the travesty of not having necessary drugs which are funded in many countries including Australia, but the mental unwellness it is causing many of us to choose debt or Russian roulette over survival. We should be better than this as a country, especially when it was agreed it would be covered and two years on it's not.

Please donate as we are all affected by someone, we know with breast cancer and come book to come along and attend my Pink Ribbon Brunch to hear my story!

Let’s make a difference, together. 💕