A page to raise funds for Dr McLennan's Cancer Treatment
A page to raise awareness and funds for Dr Logan McLennan's cancer treatment.
Wellington
My father, Dr Logan McLennan, was diagnosed with Multiple Myeloma in 2021, two years after he retired. Sadly, this cancer of the bone marrow is currently incurable, and he has the most aggressive form. Initially he was treated with a triple drug regime partially funded by Pharmac, and achieved an amazing 3 years of remission, but the myeloma returned in November 2023.
A bit about Dad: He set up practice at the Waitangirua Health Centre in the mid 70's. His experiences at Harlem Hospital as a final year student had made him determined to help those most disadvantaged by gaps in health systems.
He worked tirelessly as a family GP for 43 years, caring for thousands of patients, and delivering over 1000 babies before the midwives took over in 1990.
He's most well-known for his work mentoring family doctors in the Postgraduate GP Training Scheme, several of whom have settled locally. He was awarded a Queens Service Medal in 2013 for this work.
Sadly, after decades of helping other people through the gaps in the public health system, Dad's treatment is now in one of those gaps.
His health insurance policy doesn't cover his treatment, and it's 400k, which means making difficult choices between extending his life and providing for mum - who has recently been diagnosed with Parkinsons. Any amount you give will make a difference, however it's tough financial times out there! If you cannot afford it, a comment will provide him with many riches to help him with his journey.
Many thanks.
Jaime McLennan's involvement (page creator)
Logan is my father, I have set up this page on behalf of his good friends Don Mather and Mike Oxnam.
Use of funds
Despite being fully funded in many other countries, the medication now required: Daratumumab, is not funded here, and the projected overall cost of his treatment over 2 years is $401,762.00. Any funds raised will go solely towards this.
Latest update
Still in remission and Spring is here 4 September 2024
The response has been amazing and it has enabled me to pay for all the recent injections of daratumumab at $10,230.00 per injection. Latest tests show I am still in remission. Janssen Pharmaceuticals who market daratumumab in New Zealand started a one-for-one subsidy. You pay for one shot and get the next one free. A condition of the subsidy was that you had to be on a Medsafe approved combination of therapy. My combination was not approved even though good studies from 2021 had proven its benefits and the US FDA had approved the combination in 2021. I wrote to Medsafe asking why the combination was not approved and they replied more or less saying that Janssen had not applied for approval and Medsafe would only then look at the evidence for safety. In other words, Medsafe is reactive and not proactive when it comes to oncology medicines and combinations. A “Catch 22” existed whereby Janssen would not grant the subsidy because my combination was not Medsafe approved but they had not applied for approval. So, my haematologist changed me back to bortezomib (that is funded by Pharmac) which gave me an approved combination and I have just now been accepted for the 1-for-1 subsidy by Janssen..
Pharmac may announce that they are funding daratumumab using some of the new money in the budget but I think it is unlikely because there are many competing cancer drugs under consideration.
I am very grateful and sustained by the contributions and comments you have made.
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