For 17-year-old Briony Mathieson having MS has become a little less scary with the news that two new treatments will be publicly funded. The country's drug-buying agency, Pharmac, is from today funding Biogen Idec's Natalizumab (trading as Tysabri) and Novartis' Fingolimod (Gilenya) to treat the symptoms of the disorder. The decision would bring relief to hundreds of MS sufferers around the country with an annual cost in the "tens of millions of dollars per year", a Pharmac spokesman said. About 20 MS patients had been forking out the estimated $3000 to $5000 a month for the drugs, MSNZ vice president Neil Woodhams said. Mathieson's neurologist Dr Debbie Mason made a special funding request for Natalizumab on the teenager's behalf after two existing medications failed to address her symptoms. She was knocked back and Mathieson has been left floundering without treatment since April. A fall at the age of 14 left her with numb legs and a cold sensation in her feet, which continued over a weekend. She stayed in hospital while numerous tests were done and steroids administered. Three days later, she was told she had MS. "I'd seen it on [TV show] Shortland Street so that's where I'd heard … Continue reading →

The Employment Appeals Tribunal found that Tescos disciplinary procedures were flawed to the extent that Ms Adeniyi was prejudiced by them. Photograph: Dara Mac Dnaill The Employment Appeals Tribunal (EAT) has found that the Irish arm of supermarket giant Tesco unfairly dismissed a lung cancer victim. Mary Adeniyi had worked with Tesco since 2004, but fell ill in October 2010 and three months later was diagnosed with lung cancer. A supervisor with the retailer, Ms Adeniyi was on sick leave due to the cancer treatment, but told the hearing that she always intended to return to work and was shocked when she was dismissed. Ms Adeniyi attended a welfare meeting with her then Tesco store manager in July 2011 and informed her of her illness and further treatments which required her to travel to the UK. After receiving a letter from Tesco in March 2011, Ms Adeniyi telephoned the personnel manager and explained that she was too weak to attend meetings at that time. Ms Adeniyi had provided an initial letter from her hospital, which she believed clearly set out her medical condition. In July 2012, Tesco dismissed Ms Adeniyi by letter after claiming that she did not keep the … Continue reading →

The Employment Appeals Tribunal found that Tescos disciplinary procedures were flawed to the extent that Ms Adeniyi was prejudiced by them. Photograph: Dara Mac Dnaill The Employment Appeals Tribunal (EAT) has found that the Irish arm of supermarket giant Tesco unfairly dismissed a lung cancer victim. Mary Adeniyi had worked with Tesco since 2004, but fell ill in October 2010 and three months later was diagnosed with lung cancer. A supervisor with the retailer, Ms Adeniyi was on sick leave due to the cancer treatment, but told the hearing that she always intended to return to work and was shocked when she was dismissed. Ms Adeniyi attended a welfare meeting with her then Tesco store manager in July 2011 and informed her of her illness and further treatments which required her to travel to the UK. After receiving a letter from Tesco in March 2011, Ms Adeniyi telephoned the personnel manager and explained that she was too weak to attend meetings at that time. Ms Adeniyi had provided an initial letter from her hospital, which she believed clearly set out her medical condition. In July 2012, Tesco dismissed Ms Adeniyi by letter after claiming that she did not keep the … Continue reading →