3 hours ago Matt Graveling, husband of Fionnuala Quinlan-Bennett, from Crawley in West Sussex, died in June after being diagnosed with breast cancer that spread to her bones and liver. The family is advocating for the NHS in England to make Enhertu, a life-extending drug available in Scotland and other countries, accessible to patients.
Fionnuala Quinlan-Bennett, aged 32, passed away in June after receiving a prognosis of advanced cancer. Her family highlights that Enhertu—a combination of a monoclonal antibody and deruxtecan—could have provided additional time. Breast Cancer Now estimates that making Enhertu available could benefit around 1,000 women in England.
The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) has resumed discussions with the manufacturer and NHS England regarding a commercial agreement. Previously, NICE deemed the treatment cost-ineffective due to its high price, but following a US-UK trade deal in December 2025, new cost-effectiveness thresholds have been applied. The family emphasizes the urgency to ensure no other women miss out on this treatment.
Nathan Bennett, Fionnuala’s husband, shared her words of frustration: 'It's painful knowing that this drug is available and out there, but not available to me.' Before her death, Fionnuala encouraged others to embrace life, teaching children, exploring countries, and reading books. Holly Heath from Breast Cancer Now urged swift action, stating, 'This group of women don’t have time to wait. We need a sense of urgency, pace, and a deal to be done now.'
Source: BBC
