At age 15 Bella Powell was told she had only two years to live if her cystic fibrosis went untreated. With nothing to lose, Bella, now 17, started taking a drug called Trikafta, and within hours she noticed results. But the drug costs $469,000 a year. Trikafta is owned by American company Vertex, and it isn't subsidised by Pharmac in New Zealand.
At the moment, Bella only has a few months' supply of this miracle drug left, and a Givealittle page has been set up to help fund more. Bella and her mother Alexandra are with us to discuss.
Bella Powell and Sir Bob Elliot Photo: Supplied / Carmen Bird
