Hope is something that Tracey has held onto throughout her frightening journey battling melanoma, and secondary cancers in the brain and now the lung, because she desperately wants to see her three lovely children grow up and wants to share their lives.

Keytruda has been hailed as revolutionary drug which uses the power of the body’s own immune system to attack and reject the cancer.

Tracey said the news that Keytruda, which costs $150,000 a year, was to be listed on the PBS was “absolutely fantastic, a fantastic breakthrough”.

She said: “There’s no way I could have afforded it but now this gives enormous relief, hope, a chance.

“I feel very sorry for the people who had to pay and sell their homes to pay for it. So many missed out, so many died and many were stressed out of their minds trying to work out how to pay for it.”

Tracey had her first experience of melanoma as a young woman, and after having several melanomas removed thought that she was free of the threat but then late last year doctors discovered she had a brain tumour which was confirmed as a secondary melanoma to one that was removed a decade ago. 

Following her last round of surgery, Tracey endured entire brain radiation, only to be told that the cancer had returned. With another tumour on the brain and another on the lung, she was advised that treatment would be difficult. 

Tracey is currently taking the immunotherapy drug, Ipilimumab; her next and last treatment is on July 13, after which she will have a scan and then hopes to start on Keytruda soon after.

“I think I need to be on it for two years. I’ve only got one shot at it and once I’ve had it, that’s it. We’ve got to hope it works,” she said.

Doctors have told Tracey that the drugs she is taking can have very serious side effects and have been surprised at her resilience. Her prognosis without Keytruda was not good.

As confronting as Tracey’s journey is, she remains incredibly positive and engaged with her community who have taken her to their hearts.

“I still feel like one of the luckiest in the world, so blessed. I believe I know the best people in the world and I am surrounded by the best people in the world,” Tracey said. “It’s such a privilege to be born in this community.”

Seeing Tracey’s battle to make ends meet and knowing that even with Keytruda being listed on the PBS there are so many expenses associated with her treatment, friends decided to organise a fundraiser for her. 

Tracey said that it was hard to accept. “It took so long for me to agree to the fundraising but my doctor told me you need to let the community do this for you; having cancer is not an easy thing.”

The doctor told Tracey: “This will be the hardest part, the journey. Try to  receive as much as you give.”

Since then, Tracey said: “It’s just steam rolled, it’s absolutely unbelieveable and I can’t thank people enough.”

Behind the incredibly positive exterior though are concerns for her children,  Banjo, 7, Toby 8, Molly 10 who attend Pambula Public School.

Tracey’s journey so far has taken its emotional toll on the children who have found it hard to deal with their mum’s illness.

Tracey said that when they first saw her after brain surgery with 37 staples in her shaved head, the reunion was a very emotional one. “Banjo asked me if the melanoma could come back and a week later it had,” Tracey said.

The brain tumour tested Bras negative which means it is harder to treat.

Tracey carries a rare gene mutation, making her prone to melanoma and urges everyone to have skin checks.

“I’ve been able to create awareness and spread the word. There are so many positives to come out of this. It’s been an unbelievable journey. I’ve had phone calls from long lost friends who’ve tracked down my phone number.

“To Team Tracey and the wider community I say thanks will never be enough. I would like to get around to every person who's donated big and small, it all counts and all helps so much. My whole family  has been blown away by this.

“The kids still don’t believe the disco (fundraising disco July 17) is for them. It’s the same for the tin in the Pambula supermarket with their faces on. They kept wanting to go back in to see it.”

What keeps Tracey so positive? “When I knew I had to have brain surgery, it was very confronting and so was the preparation for it, just seeing the scans and hearing what was going to happen but I thought if I got through it, if I wake up on the other side of this I can do anything.”

Originally published as PBS listing for melanoma drug gives Tracey extra hope by Merimbula News Weekly.