Rugby mother with terminal cancer appeals for help as life-extending treatment blocked

A Rugby mother with terminal cancer says her life will be cut short if a vital treatment is blocked by the NHS.

Tracie Mills was given a life expectancy of five years after being diagnosed with breast cancer in 2013.

But a treatment offering precious hope of more time to live for people with incurable secondary breast cancer, has been rejected for use on the NHS in England this week.

The decision will deny thousands of women access to Enhertu (trastuzumab deruxtecan), the first licensed targeted treatment for HER2-low secondary breast cancer.

The drug could offer people both more time to live and more time before their disease progresses, compared to chemotherapy.

Tracie, who long with her army of ‘Arden Angels’ has helped raise more than £115,000 for cancer patients, said: "People always ask how can I help? What can I do? If you do anything, then please, please sign this petition and share it far and wide and keep me in your prayers.”

Breast Cancer Now warns that lives will be cut short unless NICE, NHS England, Daiichi Sankyo and AstraZeneca get back round the table and find a solution. This rejection could also be a troubling sign of things to come without an urgent review of the impact of a recent change to a critical element of the NICE methods for evaluating health technologies - the severity modifier.

The charity is looking to appeal the decision, and is making another plea to NICE, NHS England, Daiichi Sankyo and AstraZeneca to do everything possible to make this treatment available on the NHS.

Tracie’s friend Nickie Brightwell, who helps run Arden Angels, said: “Our Tracie never asks for anything.

"She fakes it, she smiles and puts her lipstick on and shows up when she can. Please just sign the petition, for Tracie and the thousands of other cancer patients who will be affected by this devastating announcement.”

Sign the petition by visiting https://action.breastcancernow.org/enhertu-emergency-sign-petition_ga=2.214313045.318054244.1709657864-