Tauranga cancer survivor makes mark in Wellington in fight for longer life

Members of the Metavivors group gather outside Parliament, asking for better access to life-prolonging drugs. Photo/NZME

A Tauranga woman with terminal breast cancer says a march on Parliament to call for better access to medicine was a significant milestone in the fight for longer lives.

Tracy Barr-Smith joined about 200 people who gathered silently outside Parliament House in Wellington yesterday. Signs read "Pharmac, cough up" and "our lives matter". Another read "prolonging my life is more important than prolonging an erection".

"I think we've been taken seriously," Barr-Smith said.

The group presented two petitions with more than 30,000 signatures asking for better access to drugs Ibrance and Kadcyla, which currently have a lower priority status than treatment for erectile dysfunction.

Barr-Smith said she was comforted to see Tauranga MP Jan Tinetti among 12 politicians on the steps accepting the petitions.

"To see a friendly face in what can sometimes be a scary situation - coming to Parliament can be pretty daunting - to have her meet us and greet us, we felt truly welcomed into Parliament."

Barr-Smith said she was glad the group had brought the issue to the forefront of the Ministry of Health and public awareness again.

"It acted as a powerful reminder to them. This is an ongoing process for us. It's constant. It doesn't just go away. It's every day we are having to deal with this."

People carried framed photos of loved ones and a small bouquet of flowers was laid on Parliament steps with a sign that read "In loving memory of the 155 lives needlessly lost in 2018".

The group formed mostly from a Facebook group titled Metavivors - a play on the words "survivor" and "metastatic breast cancer".

Metavivor Terre Nicholson said women were having to fundraise for medicines so they could live long enough for their toddlers to remember who they are.

"Sadly a year from now, a lot of us probably won't be here," she said.

"Our story's not finished so don't write us off."

Tinetti said she thought the group was "incredibly brave".

"I was there to support them in their journey which has been amazing."

The petitions were taken into Parliament and referred to the Health Select Committee, she said.