Mother-of-two needs to raise €54,000 for life-saving cancer drug

Carole Troy had to endure chemotherapy and surgery alone in hospital due to Covid-19 restrictions

Carole Troy of Ardmore, Co Waterford, who is funding for access to a life-saving drug. Picture supplied by Carole Troy.

A mother-of-two who was diagnosed with stage three breast cancer during lockdown is fundraising to pay for a drug that could lengthen her life.

Carole Troy, from Ardmore in Co. Waterford, had to endure chemotherapy and surgery alone in hospital due to Covid-19 restrictions.

While she was recently told she is cancer free, her oncologist has recommended an effective but costly drug to help prevent it from returning.

She needs to raise €54,000 to pay for pertuzumab. While the drug is covered by the HSE, Carole does not meet the criteria to access it as she has completed chemotherapy and surgery.

The drug would increase her chances of living a long life with her husband and children who are aged 11 and 13.

Carole said she couldn't have envisaged a 2020 which involved a stage 3 cancer diagnosis, Covid-19 restrictions, chemotherapy, home-schooling her children, and entering menopause.

Her husband and their family have been extremely supportive. However, because of the Covid-19 restrictions she has had to undergo chemo and surgery alone.

"It has been pretty horrific," she said. 

This year has been a bad year for everybody but I have had a cancer diagnosis and cancer treatment and surgery thrown in on top of the mix. 

"Conditions have made that all the more difficult to go through.

"I was fortunate in that I got all the treatments I needed when I needed them. I met my oncologist shortly after we went in to lockdown and she said I had two choices when looking at chemotherapy with Covid.

"She said ‘we can either postpone the chemo and see how Covid pans out or she said you can start your chemotherapy and put yourself in to high risk of complications.’ She said if we delayed it would effect my long-term prognosis. As someone with two children I knew I would have to start.” 

Carole's lockdown was extended due to her chemotherapy. She couldn't even risk visiting friends for coffee, which she said was difficult. 

"My parents couldn't come to the house to give me a hug. My husband was going through all this as well and you try to keep your best side out for the kids," she said.

"Because of Covid restrictions I had to go in to chemotherapy on my own. 

The first day I just sat in the car park with my husband and cried. I was so frightened about what was going to happen and having to do it on my own. 

"I would have loved to have had him there just to hold my hand."

Carole also home-schooled her son and daughter during lockdown and whilst receiving treatment which she said was utterly surreal.

Fortunately, the 46-year-old is now cancer-free but her oncologist warns there is a one-in-three chance of her cancer returning.

She is going for radiotherapy treatment and has been put on drugs to help prevent the cancer from coming back, and her oncologist said that Carole would hugely benefit from a drug called pertuzumab.

Carole does not meet the HSE's criteria for access at present. 

"They are hoping that in the next 12 months people like me will be included in the HSE criteria but unfortunately that is too late for me. I need the drug now. My only option is to fund it myself," she said.

Donations can be made to the Carole Troy Go Fund me page at https://ie.gofundme.com/f/caroles-cancer-drug-appeal.