Opinion: Pharmac funding boost gives hope to many, too late for some

The announcement was made on Daffodil Day. Photo / File

This time last year I watched a close relative and his family pour everything they could into saving his life.

He was almost 65. A father, husband, brother and for me, an uncle, at least by extension.

What manifested as abdominal pain turned out to be the dreaded "Big C".

When I was told it might be pancreatic cancer I held out hope it wouldn't be. But it was.

When surgeries were scheduled I held out hope they would go smoothly. But they didn't.

When his wife poured all her extra time into feeding him nutritious food and looking for alternative ways to heal his body I held on to hope it would work. But it didn't.

And when he, his wife and two children spent thousands of dollars flying to Mexico to try alternative treatments there in November I held out hope he would come back alive and healed. But he didn't. He came back in a coffin after it all went wrong.

Cancer killed my uncle. It is New Zealand's No 1killer, with more than 23,000 people diagnosed every year.

But while it's too late for him there are hopes recent Government announcements mean it won't be too late for others.

You'd be hard-pressed to find a person in New Zealand not affected by cancer in some way. Be it themselves, a friend, a family member or someone they know of.

This week, following Daffodil Day, the Government announced a $60 million funding boost for Pharmac over three years and the imminent establishment of a cancer control agency.

After months of petitions for change and for better access to life-prolonging treatment, the Government is taking action to ensure New Zealanders living with cancer have access to high-quality care no matter who they are, or where they live.

Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern and Health Minister David Clark. Photo / File

The announcement brought some to tears, including Tauranga patient Tracy Barr-Smith.

She's thrilled but says "we are not there yet".

She wants more done to ensure the New Zealand health system keeps up with advances in modern medicine - to prevent future cancer patients from repeating her fight for funding.

It's too late for thousands, my uncle included.

But when I heard about the funding boost and new agency I hoped they would be effective. This time, I'll hold on to that hope.