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Help raise funds for Denise's cancer treatment

  • One last Thank you

      5 August 2020

    Phil, Denise and family would like to thank you all once again for your generosity. Without your support, Denise would never have been able to take advantage of Avastin.

    Today, an anonymous third party has committed to funding Denise's future costs for this drug, so we are closing this page.

    Your donations, along with your thoughtful messages, have made a huge difference, and we are forever grateful.

      2 comments  |  Login to leave a comment

    • 06/08/2020 by Teresa McQuinlan

      Oh wow, this is amazing, fantastic news for you all

    • 06/08/2020 by Jennifer

      Great news guys

  • When life throws lemons...

      4 June 2020
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    Hi Everyone,

    Denise and Phil continue to amaze us all with their inner strength and determination to deal with what life has thrown at them. One of their pass-times during Covid lockdown was to have sing-a-longs together, and they have agreed to share one of these beautiful moments with you.

    Avastin wasn’t selected to be funded by Pharmac in the most recent round of funding for cancer treatments, so Phil and Denise continue to bear the burden of its expense. The drug continues to work well for Denise, with the latest MRI result showing no further growth in her brain tumour.

    In campaigning for Avastin to be administered in the public health system (different to being funded by Pharmac), Phil remains frustrated at the lack of response to his letters by our Minister of Health, which date back to the beginning of February, so he has now written directly to Jacinda Ardern. In the meantime, he and Denise continue to pay $2600 per fortnightly infusion, even though they have already paid off the cost of the drug itself.

    Denise continues to enjoy getting out for walks each day, and socialising with family and friends as much as she can.

    Phil and Denise remain forever grateful for your love and support.

    Please share this page with your friends. Every donation makes a difference and is hugely appreciated.

    Thank you all so much for your generosity.

    Regards, Pam

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  • Celebrating our First Wedding Anniversary in Lockdown

      14 May 2020
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    Hi Everyone,

    We hope you all stayed healthy and happy during lockdown, and like us, enjoyed having the time to appreciate the simpler things in life. We were elated to be able to celebrate our first wedding anniversary together on the 30th March, dining in like the rest of the country!

    Thank you SO much for all the donations that have kept coming in. They have made such a difference for us, and we feel extremely grateful, especially knowing so many people have suffered financially during this time.

    With all the beautiful sunny weather we had during lockdown, Denise has been trying her best to overcome her exhaustion and force herself to get out for walks each day, walking up to 3km some days. She even tried her hand at painting the deck.

    Denise adores Jess, our border collie dog, and of course Jess loves accompanying her on her walks. Bella the cat remains Denise’s favourite, much to Jess’s disgust, spending hours curled up on the bed beside Denise.

    Our daughter Alyse is doing her Level 3 NCEA Biology assessment on the ethics of Avastin not being funded. It is a truly amazing and empathetic piece of research, which we will share with you once it is finished.

    Today our niece Catherine came over and took Denise for her fortnightly Avastin treatment. Denise thoroughly enjoyed being able to spend some time catching up with Catherine again, now that we have moved out of alert level 3.

    Denise has another MRI scan coming up on the 16th of May, and we will be eagerly awaiting the results from that, ever hopeful for more positive news.

    We are looking forward to being able to catch up with family and friends again soon, and we wish everyone well as you extend your bubbles and find your way forward in level 2.

    Take care, Phil and Denise xx

      1 comment  |  Login to leave a comment

    • 15/05/2020 by Jennifer

      Hi D, keep fighting and I will have my fingers and toes crossed for 16th May. Jen x

  • Thank you for your generous donations! Please help us lobby the government!

      11 March 2020
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    Hi Everyone,

    Thank you all so much for your generous donations which are helping keep Denise alive!

    This week has been a turning point for Denise, with a huge improvement in her energy levels. For months she has suffered overwhelming exhaustion, but she is now feeling like a different person. She has had a wonderful day today, taking Jess the dog for two walks (by herself), and she and Phil were able to go out for dinner together this evening (for the first time since their wedding).Yesterday she started working on her fitness, doing some exercises and lifting some weights, and she has been busy cleaning the house all week. Her plan for tomorrow is to walk to the local dairy and buy some chocolate biscuits. These are all major milestones after the trauma Denise has been through for the last year, which had seen her bedridden much of the time, often sleeping for 22 hours a day.

    We are still fighting a funding battle, and recently Phil was interviewed by Stuff, to highlight our campaign to have Avastin administered through the public health system. You can view Phil’s interview here:

    https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/health/119754611/auckland-man-fighting-for-wifes-cancer-drug-to-be-administered-through-public-system

    The issue surrounding Pharmac funding is sensitive and will always be contentious. The distinction in this case for support in “administering” a non-funded drug rather than funding the drug itself deserves compassionate and worthy consideration. Furthermore this issue may sit outside of Pharmac jurisdiction if the government controls the public system’s ability to administer any drug.

    Such compromise with existing policy in funding is a step in the right direction for those deprived of having any choice to survive this disease.

    Please help us put more pressure on the Minister for Health, David Clark to confront the issue, by lobbying your local MP.

    https://www.parliament.nz/en/mps-and-electorates/members-of-parliament/

    Once again, an ENORMOUS THANK YOU from Phil, Denise and Family

      1 comment  |  Login to leave a comment

    • 12/03/2020 by Leanne

      Wow Phil, what fantastic news to her about Denise and how much she has improved since the last update, I can't believe how amazing this drug has been for her, which is why is should be administered at no cost to you both. I will keep donating, and sharing this page where I can, so sending both of you lots of love and I am really hoping that I can now get to come and see Denise for that well overdue hug and a coffee xx

  • Thank you for your donations!

      16 February 2020

    Hi All

    With our good news that Denise’s tumour is shrinking we are elated and convinced more than ever that we will beat this disease. We are now faced with two issues related to the cancer fighting drug Avastin that Denise is on:

    1. We have to come up with $2,600 per fortnight, for an indefinite period, if we are to beat this disease. This is just for the IV infusion of 600ml of Avastin and a consultation. At some stage we will face the reality of having to stop this treatment for financial reasons.

    2. We have paid the required $20,000 to the drug company for a lifetime supply of Avastin, but Pharmac does not fund Avastin so it cannot be administered in the public hospital system like other drugs.

    How can you help?

    1. Share this Give-a-Little page more widely - If we can raise $100,000 we can cover costs to the end of 2020. We have been blown away by the generosity of family, friends, friends of friends and people who do not even know us. Please help us now by sharing this Give-a-Little page link to anyone you can through Facebook and any other social media you use and by email to your contacts.

    2. Help us lobby - We have no issue with having paid $20,000 for the Avastin drug. It is fair compensation for the drug company who designed this amazing drug. I have written to Auckland Hospital who say they cannot administer Avastin as it is not Pharmac funded even though the drug itself is now free for us. I have also written to the Minister of Health Dr David Clark asking why this is the case – I have not yet heard back substantively. It would really be appreciated if you would send an email to your local MP and or the Minister Dr David Clark or anyone else of influence you know and ask for Avastin to be funded by Pharmac. I will personally be contacting the media to see if they are interested in asking the relevant parties why this drug cannot be delivered in the public health system if it is free. The private oncologist we are dealing with is amazing and I have no issue with them. However, if there are any relationships or agreements in place that prevent Avastin being administered in the public health system then this would be of real concern to us. If anyone has any ideas on how we could investigate this other than going through the media and seeing if they can investigate this then we would love to hear your thoughts. We certainly hope that this is not the case.

    Thanks to everyone for your support,

    Phil, Denise and our families

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  • Great News!

      23 January 2020
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    Hey everyone, we have some great news to share with you! Last week Denise had an MRI scan and today we received the results, which show a significant shrinkage of the tumour!! We are so elated, and this positive news has given us a huge morale boost. So far we have spent $40 000 on Avastin, so your incredibly generous donations have made a huge difference, and we can never thank you enough.

    We want to share this recent photo with you too, taken exactly 10 months after our wedding, at the location where we made our vows.

    Our heartfelt thanks to you all.

    Phil and Denise xx

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  • Thank you and happy Christmas

      10 December 2019

    Denise had her fourth Avastin treatment last Thursday and she is looking forward to celebrating Christmas day with family. At Phil’s suggestion, family and friends have been surprising her with gifts of a Christmas decoration, so Denise is enjoying adding these to their tree as she receives them.

    Denise and Phil wish you all a safe and happy Christmas, and once again want to thank everyone for their generous donations.

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  • Thank you so much for your kindness

      22 November 2019

    Denise had her third treatment of Avastin on Thursday. It all went smoothly and she is tolerating it well.

    She and Phil have been completely blown away by all the love and support they have been receiving from you – from all around the world!! Prior to this Give a Little page, they had no idea just how much support was out there for them. Every donation has made a difference in taking the pressure off what had been a huge financial worry.

    Your messages of love, support and inspiration have helped lift their spirits and keep them strong.

    Phil and Denise send their love and thanks to you all.

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  • A huge thank you from Phil and Denise

      10 November 2019

    "To our wonderful family, friends and supporters,

    Denise has now had her second treatment of Avastin, and we are taking each day as it comes. We have been overwhelmed with emotion and gratitude by your incredible generosity and words of encouragement and support.

    We can't thank you all enough".

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