We had to confirm back on the 5th November the heartbreaking news that the wonderful Philippa Hetherington had died 
She was an absolute force of intellectual nature for breast cancer in general, not just Inflammatory Breast Cancer. Did you know that the Trodelvy campaign in England for TNBC was HER campaign? She did all of the ground work with #TrodelvyNow all the media approaches and once it started gaining momentum other organisations then piggy backed and got involved.
Philippa was joined by Katy Morris in the campaign to get Trodelvy approved, with both working closely with Gilead to ensure that a deal could be finalised with NHS England much sooner than had originally been scheduled. Although Trodelvy didn’t work for Philippa, Katy had been on the regime for many months until like Philippa she had to change treatment after it stopped working for her aswell. Since writing this, we were all devastated to hear the news that sadly Katy died on 13th December.
If you are TNBC already (and remember metastatic spread can switch to TNBC) access to this drug in England is thanks to Philippa and Katy’s grit and determination.
Please remember Philippa and her name and the wonderful legacy she has left us with as she has changed the face of Metastatic Breast Cancer treatment.
It was Philippa’s funeral on Friday 25th November & the service was heartbreakingly beautiful & sad. The loss at this beautiful, amazing woman is a heavy weight. Tragic that her life has been lost to this horrendous disease that is metastatic breast cancer.
Philippa’s Mother Robyn messaged saying:
“Thank you for joining us in honouring our beautiful Philippa. The funeral was very difficult for us, but I think we did her proud. She is so, so loved and so, so missed. What an amazing group you have founded. Philippa gained an incredible amount of support from all of you, and really wanted to contribute to campaigns and events when she was well enough.
Thanks for thinking of us. I wish you and all those whose lives have been devastated by metastatic breast cancer, the very best under these horrendous circumstances”
Our love goes to her husband Alessandro, her Mother Robyn, her brother William & all her family and friends from her friends here in METUPUK.
We will continue to strive to make change for all those who have died aswell as for all the patients who are living with this life limiting disease.
We Demand Change.
METUPUK