In tribute to lost leaders

In the last week we've learnt of the sad passing of two amazing women who balanced their secondary cancer diagnoses with incredible activism to improve the lives of breast cancer patients, helping to win better care and fairer access to cancer treatment.

Mel Kennedy helped Just Treatment to get started. Long before we were established she collaborated with allies on a push to break the monopoly on the breast cancer medicine, Kadcyla, in a bid to secure affordable access for NHS patients. That effort inspired the work Just Treatment went on to do, and Mel was a patient leader in our early days - shaping our strategy and driving our early campaigns.

But her involvement in Just Treatment was a small part of the inspirational campaign work she did to improve outcomes for cancer patients - particularly in her tenacious and successful fights to win more equitable access to cancer treatment in Northern Ireland. Mel stepped back from her work with Just Treatment a couple of years ago, but her influence will be felt within our organisation as long as we exist - and in the care cancer patients receive in NI and across the UK.

Carolyn Gammon joined Just Treatment as a patient leader in 2017 and had the same effect on us as we imagine she did on the lives of everyone she met. Her exuberance, humour and positivity were infectious and she brought wonderful creativity to our campaign planning. Carolyn met her diagnosis and the lack of treatment options available to her with positivity and determination - setting out to overcome the barriers that she saw before her.

Her ability to inspire and bring collective energy to her situation was unparalleled and she played a pivotal role in our campaign work as well as her own efforts to raise consciousness and demand change in cancer care in Wales. We will never forget her brilliance.

Here is a selection of tributes to Mel and Carolyn from people in the Just Treatment family. Losing leaders like these is never easy. But they inspire us to keep doing what we're doing, and do it better.

I grew up in Northern Ireland, so I feel like I've met a few people like Mel in my lifetime - quick witted, friendly, with a steely core and a righteous sense of justice. When I first started thinking about patient-led campaigns to take on big pharma, Mel was one of the first people directly affected by over-priced medicines that I spoke to. She was smart and passionate and ready to help. She was extremely influential on my thinking, and played a huge role in defining what Just Treatment has become. With so many of my family and friends in Northern Ireland I feel deeply personally indebted to her for the work she has done to improve cancer care there, and for how she helped make our patient led work honest and effective. I feel honoured to have known wonderful Mel. She'll be immensely missed and my thoughts are with all her friends and family.

Spending time in Carolyn's company was always a total delight. I feel grateful for the joy she brought into my life, and the energy she brought into Just Treatment. Carolyn had an incredible ability to spark up a connection with people and make them feel at ease, and happy, and loved. Her indefatigable spirit meant that she responded to her diagnosis with a determination to overcome the barriers in her way, but also to help so many others around her who faced similar challenges. She was a generous and beautiful woman. My thoughts are with all the people who are trying to adapt to the Carolyn-sized gap in their lives.

Diarmaid McDonald

The Mel I had the all-too-brief pleasure to know was a brilliant, creative and determined campaigner who knew how powerful it was when people facing the same injustice stood together. She brought energy and resolve to every discussion. She will be missed very much.

George Woods

Carolyn always had a smile and great sense of humour to lighten the mood and make people feel welcome. She was a great asset in meetings with brilliant ideas and drive, will miss her loads!!

Mel was one of the most energetic and committed people I have had the pleasure of meeting. I was inspired by her determination to change an unjust system and make life changing medicines available to everyone. She will be missed as a friend and co-campaigner.

Simon Brasch

Melanie Kennedy - I first met you in Paris! Travelled with the Just Treatment crew and other campaigners from France, Spain and the USA discussing how to tackle drug pricing... Our collective passion drove change and showed what we could do with campaigning. I’m glad you joined METUP UK and you understood why we all (you with Second Hope) needed to work together. We will continue to demand change. It was a pleasure to meet you lovely lady, your fire will be missed.

Jo Taylor

I immediately warmed to Carolyn when I first approached her to become involved with Just Treatment. She was quick witted, kind, passionate, and an absolute pleasure to spend time with. I know she was a real pillar of her community and will leave a big hole in many people’s lives. It was such a privilege to know her for the all too short time we were campaigning together.

The first time I met Mel was on a retreat with Just Treatment patient leaders, and she made a big impression on me. I was just in awe of her tenacious spirit and her drive to ensure access to treatment for breast cancer patients.

These two women knew their time here was limited, and they chose to use that precious time fighting for change that would make other people’s lives better. That is such an incredible thing to do, and I will always feel honoured to have known them both and inspired by their actions. Rest in power, beautiful souls.

Wiz Baines