In one week of launching a Givealittle page, generosity has poured in to fund a treatment that may help prolong the life of a Tauranga woman.

In a courageous battle against the odds, Shirley Ryder, a resilient female musician and author is confronting a formidable adversary – stage four terminal high grade ovarian serous cancer.

Since her diagnosis in 2017, Shirley has faced the harsh reality of a mere six per cent chance of living to five years. Complicating her journey, the chemotherapy crucial to her survival has become an unexpected foe, triggering allergic reactions.

Now, Shirley’s children, aged 23 and 24, grapple with heartbreak as they encourage their mother to launch a Givealittle page to rally support for her lifeline: the expensive treatment Avastin, available but unfunded in New Zealand.

Shirley Ryder is needing help to fund an expensive treatment to help fight stage four terminal high grade ovarian serous cancer. Photo: Supplied.

“Six years ago I was told that statistically I wouldn’t live very long,” says Shirley. “I was told 15 per cent live for up to five years, but for New Zealanders it’s much worse as we don’t have the drugs we need.”

At that time, her two children were teenagers, and she had chemotherapy and an operation in order to gain more time.

“I’ve always been told it will recur. It’s a very deadly cancer.”

She was originally taking two chemotherapy agents.

“One I had an anaphylactic reaction to at the start. The other one I’m allergic to. Chemo from treatment of cancer initially took my hair, ruined my career and the cancer left me and my children traumatized. The trauma still remains.

“I need Avastin.”

She has been told the cost of Avastin without insurance is $66,000.

Shirley Ryder. Photo: Supplied.

Tumours rely on the formation of new blood vessels in order to grow and spread throughout the body. Avastin blocks the formation of new blood vessels, thus effectively starving the tumour of blood that it needs to grow.

While Avastin helps to control tumour growth - it is not a cure for cancer. Avastin is a medicine registered by Medsafe for the treatment of advanced ovarian cancer, but not funded by PHARMAC, so people need to pay for it. Roche New Zealand has a FRVW VKDUH programme for Avastin, which offers assistance with the cost of your medicine.

Shirley says when she asked, her oncologist told her if she's fundraising for Avastin it would be good to start now. Currently she follows a hypersensitivity protocol, so instead of getting all of the chemotherapy treatment she is allergic to in one dose over a couple of hours, it takes all day.

“I don’t know how long I can have the chemo.”

She says if she had insurance or lived overseas, there are other drugs she could get for ovarian cancer but they are not available in NZ. Avastin is.

“Avastin is free in the UK and Australia," says Shirley.

“For those with health insurance there is another expensive drug available but unfortunately I have no health insurance. If we can raise enough funds for this drug called Avastin it will help me remain cancer free for a longer period of time. It’s not a cure but it gives my family and I more time to spend together.”

Shirley Ryder with her autobiography 'The Wendy House'. Photo: Supplied.

Shirley has a message for kiwis.

“I want people to know. I thought with the public health system that I’d be okay but the reality is you’re not. It’s not helpful for people with ovarian cancer,” says Shirley.

“I advise people to take out health insurance. The hospital and nurses have been great, it’s just the system.”

The cover of 'I wonder what became of Leia'. Photo: Supplied.

She’s concerned for her two children. Shirley’s mother died of breast cancer, and she feels she is the only family her son and daughter have.

“It’s a horrible illness. My children were devastated to hear I had a short life expectancy. They have no father to call on.”

Shirley has etched out a career in education and music.

“I was a teacher aide. I have a diploma and Bachelor of Education, and was planning to do a degree in psychology.”

She’s also played in a band, writes her own songs with an indie pop flavour, and has put out four albums on Spotify and Applaud Us.

Since being diagnosed Shirley has done a lot of community things, interviewed and promoted musicians and bands on her YouTube channel, and written an autobiography which she released in early 2023, called ‘The Wendy House’.

She is also sharing her cancer story on her Facebook page The Shirley Ryder Show & Shirlz Music

Medsafe is the New Zealand Medicines and Medical Devices Safety Authority. They’re responsible for the regulation of medicines and medical devices in New Zealand. It’s their job to ensure that the benefits of any medicine outweigh the risks (side effects). Once a medicine has been registered by Medsafe, it can then be used in New Zealand. The supplier of the medicine can then apply to PHARMAC to have it funded. However, not all Medsafe registered medicines will receive funding.

New Zealand is a small country and can’t afford to fund all available medicines. Each year, PHARMAC is given a set amount of money from the NZ Government, which they use to buy medicines for New Zealanders.

PHARMAC’s role is to decide which medicines get their funding. Making a decision to fund a particular medicine can be difficult, and takes time. When making a decision, PHARMAC reviews lots of information and talks to healthcare experts and patients. When PHARMAC decides not to fund a medicine, this medicine is called a non-PHARMAC funded medicine.

Avastin is a non-PHARMAC funded medicine. Funding Avastin can be done by a cost share programme, private health insurance, life insurance or private fundraising like Givealittle.

The cover of 'Leopards and Wolves'. Photo: Supplied.

Shirley is hopeful that if she can get funding help to buy Avastin which has been shown to delay the progression or spreading of ovarian cancer, that it can also increase the length of time she can survive with ovarian cancer.

The family’s poignant plea echoes through corridors of hope, seeking a lifeline for Shirley’s future.

“I would appreciate people donating, but also raising awareness,” says Shirley.

“My children have asked me to set up a Give A Little Page to go towards funding this drug. Anything you can donate will help us. Without your help I will likely be struggling to live much longer without a miracle and I want to stay alive as long as possible for the sake of my son and daughter.

So far the Givealittle page has raised over $5000 in eight days from 44 generous donors, with a goal of $66,000 set.

To help raise funds for Shirley to buy Avastin go to https://givealittle.co.nz/cause/cancer-drug-fundraising-for-shirley

A friend has also set up a Facebook page: Shirley Ryder Musician of Tauranga Needs Help