A group of women are fighting time and the Government as they battle advanced breast cancer, making a desperate plea to Pharmac for subsidies on a drug they desperately need.
Palmerston North mother Wiki Mulholland told TVNZ1's Q+A she found a lump in her left breast while having a shower.
"I had a biopsy and a mammogram and unfortunately they said I had cancer."
"It was a huge shock, I didn't have any symptoms leading into this and to find out that it had already spread through most of my body was gut wrenching."
She was told she could have chemotherapy with a 50 per cent chance of success, but the other option of IBRANCE, a prescription medicine, would cost $7000 a month.
Ms Mulholland had to cash in her KiwiSaver but says that won't cover the costs.
She's appealed to the Health Select Committee, telling them, "In New Zealand we are so far behind the rest of the world in funding modern medicine".
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