Help Jill fund her GCA & Osteoporosis Medication

In 2021, our mum was diagnosed with a rare autoimmune disease called Giant Cell Arteritis, Polymyalgia Rheumatica and a Meningioma brain tumour. Before her illness, she was a healthy strong independent woman who enjoyed life. Since her diagnosis, her quality of life has disintegrated. She is in and out of hospital nearly every week with a severe new side effect, broken bone, or because of incapacitating pain. She is now confined to her bed, unable to walk independently.

Mum was told she would likely see remission within 3-6 months with a high prednisone dose. Sadly, that’s never happened, and she is still on massive amounts of steroids that seem unable to get her inflammation under control. The steroids have caused severe osteoporosis, and Mum now has 4 fractures in her spine and a suspected broken hip. She is at risk of stroke, immediate and irreversible blindness, aneurysm & heart attack.

In NZ, the only funded course of treatment for this illness is high-dose prednisone. After a year of severe adverse reactions to medication she was finally approved for 2 medications that are not yet funded by Pharmac. Actemra (for her GCA) is $20,000 for a single course (weekly injections) & Forteo (for her Osteoporosis)- $750 per month (daily injections)..

She can not afford to take days off work when she breaks another bone due the cost of these medications. These medications are her last pharmaceutical hope of regaining her quality of life and gaining remission.