Husband of woman who died at 32 in cancer drug plea

The family of a woman who died from breast cancer aged 32 are calling for a life-extending treatment to be made available on the NHS in England.

Fionnuala Quinlan-Bennett, from Crawley in West Sussex, died in June after being told the disease had spread to her bones and liver.

Her family say a drug called Enhertu, available in Scotland and several other countries, could have given her more time.

Cancer charity Breast Cancer Now said making Enhertu available could help about 1,000 women in England. The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (Nice) said discussions had resumed with the manufacturer and NHS England.

Enhertu is a combination of a targeted therapy drug called a monoclonal antibody and a chemotherapy drug called deruxtecan, according to Macmillan cancer support.

Fionnuala's husband, Nathan Bennett, said it had been difficult for his wife to know a treatment existed which she could not access.

"Her exact words were, 'It's painful knowing that this drug is available and out there, but not available to me'," he said.

Before her death, Fionnuala had asked family and friends to honour her memory by embracing life.

She said there were still children to teach, countries to explore and books to read.

"If you want to honour my memory, go out into the world with a smile on your face and make a difference," she said.

Holly Heath, head of policy and evidence at Breast Cancer Now, said: "There is still an opportunity for this drug to become available on the NHS so no-one else misses out on the chance to extend their lives.

"This group of women don't have time to wait. We need a sense of urgency, we need pace and we need a deal to be done now."

A NICE spokesperson said: "In 2024, we concluded that, at the price offered by the company, the treatment was not cost effective, as the cost was too high relative to the benefits it would provide to patients.

"However, following the US-UK trade deal announced in December 2025, NICE is now applying a new, higher threshold for cost-effectiveness decisions.

"In light of these changed circumstances, discussions between NICE, the company, and NHS England have resumed, with the aim of reaching a commercial agreement that would make Enhertu available."

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