Loose Women’s Nadia Sawalha has sadly announced the passing of one of the campaigners who joined the effort to secure access to the vital drug Enhertu across Wales, Northern Ireland, and England.
Nadia, at 59 years old, along with 30 other women, bared their chests in a powerful campaign to draw Government attention. Their actions have prompted a promising development as Health Secretary Wes Streeting has agreed to meet later this month.
Despite this positive stride in their campaigning efforts, the TV personality shared the heart-wrenching news that one activist has tragically passed away, stating: “Since that day when we were on the green, one of our women has actually died, she died two days ago in a hospice and her next line of treatment would’ve been Enhertu.”
The loss deepens as Nadia reveals: “It’s just awful and then we have a number of women from that group… there’s 31 women a day who die from secondary breast cancer, there’s a number of women from that photograph who, they need Enhertu next.”
She spoke movingly about the urgency of the situation, saying, “They have young children, they are young women and it’s just heartbreaking.”
As talks with the Health Secretary approach, Nadia remains hopeful: “We’re hoping he’s a bit more sympathetic to us as he’s had cancer himself when he was younger.”
Though mindful that decisions dont rest solely with him, she is optimistic the Health Secretary can “put some pressure” on decisions to broaden access to Enhertu for those desperately needing it.
Nadia expressed her frustration, saying: “The thing is, what is the point in having all this research for cancer, if when they discover a drug, and it’s few lines of treatment for this particular kind of cancer, secondary breast cancer, what the hell is going on? “.
“When 65 other countries and Scotland can have it, and women in Wales, England and Northern Ireland can’t, it’s not fair.”
Research has indicated that the FDA-approved Enhertu, which was rejected by NICE (The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence), can halt tumour growth for up to a year, reportedly longer than standard chemotherapy.
In a statement from NICE in July, they expressed their disappointment over their decision: “We are deeply disappointed that we are unable to recommend Enhertu for use in the NHS for advanced HER2-low breast cancer”.
“As we’ve always made clear, the fastest and only guaranteed way to get medicines like Enhertu to the patients who need them is for companies to offer a fair price.”
Nadia has been advocating for change in light of her close friend Hannah Gardner’s heartbreaking cancer journey.
Hannah received her primary breast cancer diagnosis in 2013, but despite various treatments, it returned twice more.
In July 2022, she was then given the devastating news that she had terminal breast cancer, specifically hormone-positive, HER2-low breast cancer.
Like many others battling the disease, Hannah, a mother-of-one, wants to raise awareness about the importance of Enhertu, as the thought of leaving her young daughter without a mum “breaks (her) heart”.
Speaking to PA Real Life, she said: “If my current treatment stops working before Enhertu is approved, I’ll be left wondering if a move to Scotland could extend my life.”
Nadia also stated: “Women like Hannah shouldn’t have to fight for access to a drug, waiting in limbo, fearing all along that their cancer could be progressing. Hannah deserves time to see her daughter grow, to be there for her important milestones. Knowing this treatment exists but is out of reach, in my opinion seems incredibly cruel.”