PRRT in NZ

PRRT Permanently in NZ

15 July 2021

Today PRRT became a permanent, national service

For many years, neuroendocrine cancer patients and their whānau have been advocating to bring PRRT to New Zealand. Today, all that work culminated in an official launch event at Auckland city hospital. The Minister of Health, Hon Andrew Little noted that the collective work by so many different organisations - including Unicorn Foundation NZ - is a blueprint for the health sector.  He praised the collaboration, hard work, and responsiveness to COVID as he launched the new permanent service, that will now be available to all neuroendocrine cancer patients who need it.  It was fantastic to hear the Minister comment that every patient matters.

Health Minister, Hon. Andrew Little

The official launch of PRRT in NZ

This was a small, invitation-only event at the request of the Minister. But there's plenty of great media coverage out there featuring two of our wonderful Unicorns - May Leaoseve and Ewa Phillips. These two wonderful women braved cameras, on-the-spot questions, and live interviews so that other New Zealanders could start to understand what this announcement really means. That for neuroendocrine cancer patients whose tumours respond, PRRT is a game-changing treatment.

Click on the links for media coverage of the launch:

• Dozens of cancer patients will no longer need to travel to Australia for treatment 

• Lifesaving treatment for neuroendocrine cancer available for patients in NZ

• Newshub - No more sending Kiwis across the ditch as new Neuro-endo cancer treatment service opens

• Radio NZ - Radiation therapy cancer treatment service to be permanent

• Radio NZ - New national cancer treatment service opens in Auckland

• Radio NZ - NET cancer patients relieved treatment will be permanently offered in NZ

• Newshub - No more sending Kiwis across the ditch as new national neuroendocrine cancer treatment service opens

UFNZ CEO, Michelle Sullivan

NETs patient and PRRT recipient, May Leaoseve