Help Fund Mum's PARP inhibitors

Six years ago, my mum Gabriela was diagnosed with stage 4 ovarian cancer. This was a shock to her, me and our whole family and not something any of us could have prepared ourselves for. Since being diagnosed, Mum has also found out she is a BRCA1 gene carrier. BRCA1 carriers are at a significantly higher risk of developing ovarian and breast cancers, but of course, we found this out once the cancer had developed significantly.

Since 2017 mum has braved many surgeries, including a radical hysterectomy, radiosurgery, various procedures and operations, and multiple cycles of chemotherapy fighting cancer in every possible way.

After the biggest surgery to remove the cancer, Mum was put in critical care as developed blood clots on her lung. Because of the blood clots she couldn’t receive a medication called Avastin which cuts blood supply to cancer cells. As a safer option, her surgeon suggested trying to get approved for clinical trials instead, which would enable Mum access to a new and promising medication called PARP inhibitor. PARP inhibitors work to stop the production of proteins that help damaged cancer cells repair themselves, meaning cancer cells die and more healthy cells survive. It’s a huge breakthrough in cancer medicine.

During the first clinical trial Mum was approved for, she, unfortunately, received a placebo and the cancer ended up returning. Luckily she was able to take part in another clinical trial soon after, where she received the real drug. The PARP inhibitor she was given, Rucaparib, kept cancer under control for nearly 2 years.

In 2021 the cancer marker started rising again and Mum took part in different clinical trials, which didn’t bring good results. Since then she has been relying on chemotherapy as her main cancer treatment. Last November Mum finished 6 cycles of GemCarbo. The results were very promising and she was given hope that following the chemo, she would receive PARP as a maintenance drug, as by this time it was approved for use under the NHS.

Unfortunately, due of complex NHS protocols, Mum was informed that because she had already received PARP in the trial, the NHS will not approve it for her. So after the chemo in November, Mum did not receive PARP and the cancer returned again. I find the denial of access to the PARP inhibitor back in November, a very unfair decision and one that has been detrimental to my mum’s health on many levels. I want to highlight that the decision has not been made because the PARP wouldn’t help mum. Doctors are in agreement that the PARP is a good drug to take at this stage of her treatment.

If a drug has helped, access to it can be approved and is encouraged by doctors who have been looking after Mum for years, why has this access not been granted?

The only reasonable explanation is money. This is why I’m setting up this GoFundMe page and asking family, friends, friends of friends and anyone who reads this and is in a position to donate and help us raise funds so we can pay for the PARP ourselves.

The cost of purchasing PARP inhibitors privately in the UK is approximately £6000 per month. This GoFundMe is therefore set up for £18,000 to cover costs for 3 months of PARP inhibitors for Mum.

My mum is currently receiving chemotherapy and is hoping that when it’s over she can gain access to the life-saving and life-quality improving PARP inhibitor. If you can help by donating any amount towards this cause and sharing this page forward, Mum, myself and our whole family would be grateful beyond words.

We appreciate the time you’ve taken to read Mum’s story and to share this page forward. Thank you from the bottom of our hearts for your generosity in donating.