A Darlington grandma has reissued calls by a campaign to bring a drug to breast cancer patients in England which she believes could potentially extend her life. A chance finding of a Check and Change campaign pamphlet in a clothes package described as an "omen" led 50-year-old Heather Sawyer to inspect herself in 2020. She found a lump - prompting her to visit the doctors where she was diagnosed with stage 3 invasive lobular breast cancer.
Heather Sawyer, 50, from Darlington. (Image: HEATHER SAWYER) The grandmother of 11, who lives in Darlington with her husband and parents, has since undergone a mastectomy, radiotherapy and chemotherapy before her diagnosis was upgraded to stage 4 in 2022 - the most severe. Her cancer is now classed as terminal and incurable.
Heather receiving treatment. (Image: HEATHER SAWYER) Part of her journey has involved fundraising nearly £10,000 for a collection of cancer charities, but she has most recently joined with a national campaign to bring the drug Enhertu for women with a subtype of incurable breast cancer called HER2-low. Currently, the drug is available in Scotland but not in England due to a failure to reach an agreement with suppliers.
Heather with husband Lee. (Image: HEATHER SAWYER) Heather believes that if she had a chance to have this drug - it could be transformational. She said: "To be able to get this drug would just be amazing - it is what I need.
At the moment, I'm on a treatment plan which ends at Christmas. "For after that, .