We are calling on the Australian Government and the Pharmaceutical Benefits Advisory Committee (PBAC) to urgently expand PBS funding for HER2-targeted therapies (such as Enhertu) to include patients with gastric and oesophageal cancers, not just breast cancer.

On 12 March 2025, my husband, David, was diagnosed with Stage 4 oesophageal cancer.

David was just 46 years old—a completely healthy, fit individual with no prior medical issues and no warning signs or symptoms. His cancer was discovered suddenly, and by the time it was found, it had already progressed to Stage 4 and metastasised.

Like many others, we went from living a normal life to facing a life-threatening diagnosis almost overnight.

He is currently undergoing treatment and doing incredibly well. We are hopeful, and we are fighting.

The Reality of This Disease
Oesophageal and gastric cancers are among the most aggressive cancers.

Survival rates remain extremely low
In many cases, the 5-year survival rate is around or below 5% in advanced stages
Patients are often given very limited time
My husband was told he would be lucky to see 3 years—and that reaching 5 years would be considered extraordinary.

This is the reality families are facing.

However, after seeking a second opinion, we were told that in the future he may need access to a targeted therapy called Enhertu—a drug already funded on the PBS for some patients with breast cancer.

For people like my husband with oesophageal or gastric cancer, this treatment is not funded.

This raises a serious and deeply confronting question:

Why is a life-extending treatment accessible for one group of patients, but not for others with different cancers?

HER2-targeted therapies are proven to extend lives
They are already funded for breast cancer patients in Australia
But patients with gastric and oesophageal cancers are excluded
This is not about one disease versus another—
this is about equal access to life-saving treatment.

 
There are approximately 250–270 new cases per year in Australia like my husband’s
These patients may benefit from this exact same treatment
Without PBS funding, the drug is prohibitively expensive, putting it out of reach for most families
This means: 👉 People are denied access not because the treatment doesn’t work
👉 But because of what cancer they have.

This petition is not just about my husband.

It is about:

Families facing impossible financial decisions
Patients who could live longer—but won’t get the chance
The future Australians who will be diagnosed and deserve better
I am advocating not only for my husband—but for every patient who comes after him.

 
We call on the Australian Government to:

✅ Expand PBS eligibility for HER2-targeted therapies (including Enhertu) to include gastric and oesophageal cancers
✅ Ensure access is based on clinical benefit—not cancer type or gender
✅ Act urgently to prevent avoidable loss of life or reduced life expectancy

 
Access to life-saving treatment should not depend on the type of cancer you have.

It should not depend on gender.

And it should never depend on whether you can afford it.

Every Australian deserves equal access to treatments that can extend or save their life.

Sign this petition to support fair, equal access to life-saving cancer treatment in Australia.