Young Mum diagnosed with stage 4 Melanoma Cancer
Kendall's Melanoma Battle - Fighting for her family
Christchurch, Canterbury
My older beautiful sister, Kendall, has been diagnosed with incurable Stage 4 melanoma cancer in January / February 2023.
She is 33 years old and has an incredible husband John-Henry. Together they have 2 beautiful children a 7 years old and a 3 year old. Kendall also has a 18 year old stepson.
I want to help ease the financial burden and stress by helping to cover her unfunded medications she can focus on getting better.
In March 2023 she started on funded immunotherapy. It had been reducing the cancer spots across her body.
In July 2023 Kendall underwent brain surgery to remove two bleeding melanoma tumours that were causing her to see double vision and made her nauseous.
The funded immunotherapy treatment was stopped in March 2024 due to growth of cancer spots in her brain.
As at April 2024 Kendall is taking unfunded medications. These are costing between $5k - $6k per month. These medications won’t cure her - but they will prolong her life. We don’t know how long for. Hoping it’s a long period of time and continues to smash it!
Any donation, big or small is very appreciated. Thank you.
As at March 2025 there has been a proposal put forward from Pharmac. The NZ Government are looking at funding these drugs. The date for it to be funded looks like 1st of June 2025! Fingers crossed.
Thank you from all of our family x
Holley Gray's involvement (page creator)
Kendall is my beautiful big sister ❤️
Use of funds
Unfunded medications & treatments (Dabrafenib with trametinib)
Other page links
Latest update
Pharmac’s announcement of proposal for unfunded drugs 20 March 2025
Hello. Today’s news is a proposal announcement from Pharmac about the unfunded drug treatments against Melanoma Cancer𓍲🧠
These unfunded drugs (dabrafenib and trametinib) 💊 that I am currently taking could possibly become funded on the 1st of June 2025! Fingers crossed 🤞hopefully I still meet the criteria- I’m still researching & reading the proposal….
The proposal can be seen on my Facebook page or seen below as seen on the Melanoma New Zealand Facebook page as reads:
“📢Today Pharmac has released consultation on a proposal which means that from 1 June 2025 many advanced melanoma patients in New Zealand could have access to some melanoma drugs for which they were previously ineligible.
Melanoma New Zealand has been engaging with Pharmac advocating for increased funding for treatments for melanoma patients and providing technical expertise. Today’s proposal signals long-awaited progress.
The medicines are:
• pembrolizumab (branded as Keytruda) for stage 3B or more advanced melanoma that can be removed by surgery
• dabrafenib (branded as Tafinlar) and trametinib (branded as Mekinist) for melanoma with a BRAF mutation that:
- is stage 3B or more advanced and can be removed by surgery
- has spread around the body or can’t be removed by surgery
Pharmac’s full proposal is now on its website https://tinyurl.com/2k5v42ut and it is seeking feedback with a deadline of 4 April 2025.
We will keep you posted.”
Thank you everyone. Of course keep you updated :)
Latest donations
Thank you John for the donation. It’s truly appreciated. Thanks
Thank you Tom for your kind donation. It’s truly appreciated. Thank you :)
Thank you Ian for your donation. It’s truly appreciated. Thank you
Thank you so much Nick for your donation. It’s truly appreciated. Thank you.
Thank you John for your donation. It’s truly appreciated. Thank you.
Who's involved?