Melissa's new dose of hope

JASON OXENHAM/Suburbans

RELIEVED: Breast cancer patient Melissa Murphy is thankful the new government has agreed to pay for 12 months of Herceptin treatment.

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Christmas has come early for breast cancer patient Melissa Murphy.

The mother-of-four is delighted the government is funding a 12-month course of Herceptin, after her family was forced to raise thousands of dollars to pay for treatment privately.

Previously, government-funding body Pharmac refused to pay for more than a nine-week course of the drug, even though 34 other countries have introduced funding for a full year’s treatment.

"It’s a huge relief," she says.

"It’s great not to think about fundraising. Now I can think about getting well."

The New Windsor resident was diagnosed with the disease in December last year and went through chemotherapy, before taking up the nine weeks of free Herceptin treatment.

At a cost of around $55,000 for the rest of the treatment, the family resorted to garage sales and raffles to raise the money they needed until her last dose of Herceptin in June next year.

But now Mrs Murphy is predicting a brighter future.

"The worst is all behind us now I’m feeling good. I’m looking forward to a great 2009."

The 44-year-old has been treated privately but is now hoping to be treated in the public system, because administration costs for the drug are not covered in private hospitals.

Mrs Murphy isn’t sure what they’ll do with around $20,000 raised to pay for future treatments.

But she plans to consult the people who donated the money before making a decision.

National list MP Jackie Blue, who is a former breast physician and pushed for 12 months of Herceptin to be made available, described the decision as "the highlight of my political career".

"There were a whole lot of Melissas around the country who struggled to fundraise," she says.

"I’m delighted. It’s quite emotional for me."

Dr Blue says the benefits of Herceptin became clear just before she was elected to Parliament in 2005.

"Herceptin was always on the radar. When I became an MP, studies showing it was useful early on were coming through.

"Pharmac became enamoured with the nine-week trial. They were fixated with it.

"Quite frankly it flies in the face of international research."

Pharmac’s listing of Herceptin for funding nine weeks remains unchanged, but the Ministry of Health has entered into a separate agreement with supplier Roche to fund the 12-month treatment.

Women who had treatment funded at private hospitals since November 19, the day the government was sworn in, will be reimbursed by the Ministry of Health.

The government has set aside $3.6 million to treat the increase in numbers of patients, but wouldn’t reveal how much it’s paying for Herceptin because of commercial sensitivity.