Nadia Sawalha makes heartbreaking plea for 'daughter' as cancer drug deadline closes in

Nadia Sawalha is calling on the public to help her and three others to raise the funds needed so they can launch a legal appeal against NICE regarding the decision to reject ENHERTU for use on the NHS for secondary breast cancer patients

10 Oct 2024, 08:02 by Zoe Delaney · Irish Mirror

Actress and TV personality Nadia Sawalha is calling on fans to help her raise just under £100,000 in less than two days to fund an appeal that could save the lives of millions of women.

The Loose Women legend, 59, is one of four women - known as 'The Fab Four' - calling on NICE (National Institute for Health and Care Excellence) to enable the NHS to roll out what could be a game-changing cancer drug for many women living with secondary breast cancer.

Speaking exclusively to the Mirror on Wednesday, a "really emotional day" for the former EastEnders actress, Nadia revealed the urgency of hitting the £150,000 fundraising target so she and others can launch a legal appeal against NICE regarding the decision to reject ENHERTU for use on the NHS for HER2 LOW patients. The mum-of-two also shared her hopes before meeting with Health Secretary Wes Streeting later this month.

"We only have a couple more days to reach the 150 grand target," Nadia shared on Wednesday, as the fundraising pot sat at around £50,000. With a laugh, she added, "So we're auctioning ourselves, we're auctioning our children..." Nadia was referring to the amazing lots available to bid on currently on her Instagram page, including a chance to win two VIP Loose Women tickets, a photo at the ITV show's famous desk, and lunch with The Fab Four afterwards.

Nadia Sawalha and her fellow campaigners outside Parliament in July(Image: Philip Coburn)

Nadia's dear friend Hannah Gardner, 37, whom Nadia affectionately refers to as her 'daughter', is currently receiving ENHERTU through a clinical trial, which also requires her to endure a harsher medication as part of the protocol. Despite the progress made with the potentially life-prolonging drug, the hold-up in joining the trial meant Hannah's stage 4 cancer had the chance to advance.

"I always say she's like my other daughter - we say that a lot," Nadia said when discussing Hannah. "We were at an event the other day, and everyone was going, 'Oh, is this your daughter?'" she continued, recalling how an interview with a news outlet had named Hannah as her 'daughter' in an article. "She messaged me, and she said, 'I've totally gone. I'm in absolute bits. I can't stop crying.' And then I was bloody crying."

Later during the conversation, Nadia mentions Hannah again as she explains the impact the campaign has on many people - including those living with secondary breast cancer. "My friend Hannah at the moment is sick," Nadia states. "She got treatment yesterday. She's in bed, she's cold - she's lost all her hair now - and all day I've seen messages from her saying 'working on this part of the campaign'.

"NHS England themselves have said, 'Patient pressure is also what has to happen', and I'm like 'OK, so they're dealing with treatment, they're bringing up their kids, they're often looking after an elderly parent, they're going to work, they're worrying about finances, AND they've got to put pressure to try and get a drug that the world has said is a game-changing drug!"

The plight of thousands of women across England, Wales and Northern Ireland who are battling secondary breast cancer took a severe hit when Enhertua, a drug available to patients like them in 25 other nations, including Scotland, was rejected for NHS use by the NICE due to its price tag.

Nadia recently launched her Who Are Your Breast Mates? campaign(Image: Instagram/ @nadiasawalha)

Her Loose Women co-stars have got involved in the #ShowYourSupport challenge(Image: Instagram/ @nadiasawalha)

Despite petitions, protests, campaigns and even government pressure, the secondary breast cancer community is constantly being rejected by NICE. Despite Scotland approving this drug and 25 other countries worldwide, patients across England, Wales and Northern Ireland are missing out.

In July, 25 women made a bold statement outside Parliament, baring their painted chests to draw attention to their plight. Tragically, one of these courageous women, Heather, passed away from her cancer just days ago, underscoring the urgency of this battle. "When I think back to when we sort of took our tops off to go to the houses of Parliament and when we were all having our bodies painted on a sofa, it was like a really sort of joyful morning," Nadia recalled.

"There were women, some with one boob, some with none, some with two, and everyone was talking and laughing, and just it was celebratory almost, you know? Then. When we got to the Houses of Parliament, we were all just so overwhelmed with emotion because nobody wanted to take their tops off - this wasn't a 'joyful here we all are, empowered women without our tops on' - this was what we had been reduced to get attention and to be heard. It was a very, very powerful moment for all of us standing there."

Nadia and the Enhertu campaigners are set to meet with Health Secretary Wes Streeting on October 23, hoping he can influence the fight to equip the NHS with Enhertu. "We have no idea what power [Streeting] has," Nadia says ahead of the meeting. "The very reason that NICE was invented so that direct power wasn't in the hands of politicians.

"So NICE is definitely an independent body, I think, but I'm hoping that pressure... that [Streeting] has enough power to put some sort of pressure on. He did say to Hannah when he met her at the studios, he said, you know, he doesn't like the postcode lottery thing. When he was younger, he had cancer himself, so we're hoping that he's really, you know, open to hearing how we feel and can do something. Anything. But in the meanwhile, we are hoping to bring legal proceedings - so we're basically trying everything."

If you would like to donate to Enhertu Now Campaignersclick here to visit their JustGiving page.

*If you have been affected by this story, advice and support can be found at the Irish Cancer Society.

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