Cancer sufferer Maree Bissels presents a 10,000-signature petition to Holt MP Anthony Byrne.By Tania Martin
HOLT MP Andrew Byrne took a 10,000 signatory petition to Parliament on Tuesday, intent on raising the issue of having the cancer drug Herceptin fast-tracked on to the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS) register.
Mr Byrne said it was an ‘outrage’ that Australian men and women had to wait for a cancer drug that would save their lives to be placed on PBS.
Mr Byrne said he first got involved in the Herceptin debate after Jean Hayne, the sister of Yarra Valley breast cancer sufferer Maree Bissels, came to his office seeking assistance.
He said Mrs Bissels was a courageous woman to be fighting cancer yet opening herself up to the public and telling her story in a hope to have Herceptin put on the PBS register.
It was an outrage that Herceptin had not been placed on PBS, Mr Byrne said, as it first became available to people with terminal stage cancer in 2001 but was still unavailable for people with the early onset of the illness.
In November, Mrs Bissels, called for all Australians to join her campaign and sign a petition, and has had an overwhelming response.
The drug costs more than $70,000 per year, but no money has been budgeted for its inclusion in the PBS register until 2008.
However, if a cancer sufferer can find the money, he or she can pay for the treatment.
Mr Byrne has questioned why it has taken so long to get to this stage as the drug had proved it could save lives.
Mrs Bissels said apart from the support from people for the campaign, she had also received many heartfelt notes from people going through cancer or who had someone close to them in the same situation.
Mrs Bissels said she couldn’t have collected all the signatures without the help of her two sisters Lynda Sharp and Ms Hayne, both of Emerald.
Mrs Bissels was diagnosed with a rapidly growing form of cancer, HER2 positive, in June.
After having the surgery and chemotherapy, her oncologist said her best chance to ensure no further cancers developed was to access Herceptin.
Mrs Bissels, who started her first Heceptin treatment last week, said her parents paid for the treatment, but she was continuing the push to have the drug put on the PBS register.
People who want to join the fight can write to Mrs Bissels care of the Woori Yallock Post Office, 1185 Warburton Highway, Woori Yallock, 3139.
