Television presenter Nadia Sawalha has spoken of her profound grief following the death of her close friend, Hannah Gardner, aged 39, from incurable breast cancer. Their tireless campaign to make a pioneering drug available on the NHS in England ultimately proved unsuccessful.
A Campaign of Desperation and Defiance
The Loose Women star, 61, had fought alongside Hannah for months to reverse a block on the drug Enhertu (trastuzumab deruxtecan), a treatment that could have extended her friend's life. In a bold act of protest in July 2024, Nadia joined 31 other women affected by metastatic breast cancer in a topless demonstration outside Parliament.
The number 31 represented the daily UK death toll from the disease. Their bodies were painted by artist Sophie Tea with powerful messages such as 'Our lives count', 'Help us to live', and 'Now do you see us?' in a desperate bid to be heard by the new Labour government.
Despite their efforts, including a petition and public lobbying, the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) deemed the cost of Enhertu – approximately £8,000 per session – too high for the NHS to fund routinely in England and Wales. The drug is, however, available in Scotland and 14 other countries.
The Cruel Reality of a 'Postcode Lottery'
Hannah Gardner, a former clinical trial manager and mother to a young autistic daughter, was first diagnosed with breast cancer in 2013. The disease returned twice before she received a stage four, incurable diagnosis in June 2022, with cancer spreading to her liver.
Nadia had previously revealed that Enhertu offered the potential of granting Hannah an extra six months of life. "For Hannah, she wants to hear her child say just even one word," Nadia told the Daily Mail, highlighting the precious time the drug could provide for making memories.
In a devastating update days before her death, Hannah shared on Instagram that tumours in her liver were growing, stating she was "scared" and "crushed" by the news that the treatment she hoped for remained blocked.
A System Under Scrutiny
The campaign exposed a stark healthcare disparity within the UK. A spokesperson for Daiichi Sankyo, the pharmaceutical company behind Enhertu, stated that 17 other European nations, including Scotland, fund the drug routinely. They blamed the NICE 'severity modifier' for devaluing the severity of metastatic breast cancer in England and Wales.
An NHS England spokesperson expressed "deep disappointment" that the drug companies had not offered the treatment at a price enabling NICE approval. Conversely, AstraZeneca UK's President called the decision "devastating" and "out of step," urging an urgent review of NICE's methodology.
The Department of Health and Social Care said it awaited NICE's final guidance and that it stood ready to consider any new commercial offer from the suppliers.
Announcing her friend's passing on Sunday, Nadia posted a heartfelt tribute on social media, describing herself as "shocked and distraught." She wrote: "No need to be brave anymore darling you can now rest in peace, and all the love you created." The post was met with an outpouring of support, including from her husband, Mark Adderley, who called Hannah a "beautiful woman, friend, and mother."
The story of Hannah Gardner underscores the ongoing emotional and political battle over access to innovative medicines, leaving campaigners and patients questioning the mechanisms that decide who gets a chance at more time.
