Breast cancer drug advocate dies

A woman who advocated for better access to cancer drugs and a way of extending the life of people with the disease has died.

Palmerston North’s Wiki Mulholland, a mother of three, died yesterday, aged 43.

Mulholland was diagnosed with metastatic breast cancer in May 2018. Since then she and her husband, Malcolm Mulholland, had lobbied the Government to provide more funding for cancer drugs such as Ibrance and been vocal advocates for people living with cancer.

Malcolm Mulholland said Wiki was loved by so many people and everyone was devastated.

‘‘Her passing was quite sudden and she was in relatively good health, but things took a turn for the worse a few weeks ago. We just thought we had more time.’’

Malcolm Mulholland said when she was first diagnosed she was only supposed to live for 14 months, which showed how quickly Māori women could die from breast cancer. But she lived for three-anda-half years after the diagnosis.

After she was diagnosed with cancer she started calling for Ibrance, which cost about $5800 a month, to be funded by Pharmac because it was unfair that some women did not have access to the drug. In 2018 the Mulhollands led a group of more than 100 women and supporters to Parliament to deliver a petition, signed by more than 30,000 people, asking for Pharmac to fund treatments for advanced breast cancer such as Ibrance and Kadcyla.

Pharmac announced last year it would fund Ibrance, which gave people more time and saved them vast sums of money.

It was a huge relief to the Mulhollands, but it didn’t just help them.

‘‘We know there are still woman alive today because of it,’’ Malcolm Mulholland said. ‘‘You’re not cured, but they call it the gold standard, with no evidence of the disease.’’

He said things had been overwhelming in a positive way with messages of well wishes and support.

Wiki Mulholland was involved in community development through the Department of Internal Affairs, working up until she died, as well as youth development in Hawke’s Bay where she was originally from.

Malcolm praised the work of the Arohanui Hospice for its support. Even towards the end Wiki had organised a fundraiser for the hospice.

Wiki Mulholland’s funeral will be held next week.