Keytruda not funded for Dads cancer - Mesothelioma

I have started this page for my father, Leonard Pene.

In August last year, dad was diagnosed with Peritoneal Mesothelioma, a cancer caused by asbestos. Dad had contracted this from working at James Hardie with his father back in the 60's. He was there for the school holidays to help his father, when he unknowingly contracted the cancer causing fibres. The disease lay dormant - 50 years, until now, and has come back as Mesothelioma, tumours of various sizes spread through his peritoneum. Dads father passed away in 1994 from the same disease.

2 kinds of chemotherapy failed for dad, and it was April this year we were told nothing more could be done, and for dad to go home to get things in order.

On that same day, dads specialist suggested we could try a new immunotherapy drug called Keytruda, however we were warned it was most likely too late to have any effect for dad and it would also cost $10,000. Dad had the first shot of Keytruda on the 21st of April. We took him home, and were told to watch his fluid intake, dads kidneys function was rapidly failing and his creatinine and hemoglobin were dangerously low.

All our hope was in keytruda, but the days after the first treatment dad started to rapidly decline, like the doctor had said, it was most likely too late to have any effect. So we got things in order for dad, who was almost unconscious by the Saturday after the treatment. The blood test results came through, they weren't good and i was told dad would most likely not see it into the new week. Friends and whanau came from everywhere to say goodbye to dad that weekend, he had stopped eating and responding to us talking to him. It was the saddest time.

4 days days after the shot of Keytruda, dad asked for food. We were all stunned, but from that point on he started eating, drinking, talking and eventually walking to the lounge. He made it into the new week despite what we were told and we saw improvements in dads health every day. His next blood results would read that his kidney function was returning .. and his levels were all coming down.

It has been 3 months since then, and Dad has had his 6th shot of keytruda. After the first 3 treatments his scans were showing his tumours had shrunk 60%, hes gained weight and looks healthier than ever. Dads almost living under cancer free symptoms, when 3 months ago he was on his death bed. His specialist mentioned that he had not seen a case like dads in his 20 year long career. Keytruda is a miracle drug for dad, but the cost is unmanageable at $10,000 every three weeks.

We just want mum and dad to enjoy their retirement.Money is running out and $10,000 per treatment every three weeks is simply unsustainable. We have exhausted all other options and written letters to all we thought could help and have been turned down.

The government will fund this drug, but for advanced melanoma patients only, we are hoping and praying in the near future that this will change, it has to.