Million Dollar Tumour
In Million Dollar Tumour Dave Bowman narrates the “very personal tale” of his battle with cancer. The small town policeman was diagnosed with a brain tumour in 2005, aged 35. Bowman took on funding agency Pharmac and the bureaucracy of the public health system to try to get a treatment drug subsidised for himself and other sufferers. Although his efforts partly prevailed, Bowman died in mid 2006, after this Inside New Zealand documentary screened. Directed by Dave Crerar (Here to Stay), Million Dollar Tumour won Best Documentary at the 2006 Qantas TV Awards.
Peta Rutter
The late Peta Rutter acted on stage and screen. On television, she joined the ensemble of 90s sketch series Away Laughing, appeared in dysfunctional family tale Home Movie, and played one of the heroes in Power Rangers: Mystic Force. In 1999 Rutter took a key role in big screen romance This is Not a Love Story, as a successful artist at a crossroads. Rutter passed away in July 2010, after being diagnosed with a brain tumor.
Angela D'Audney
The career of iconic broadcaster Angela D'Audney spanned four decades. After a pioneering frontwoman role on 1974 regional show Look North, D’Audney went on to present news programmes, long-running arts slot Kaleidoscope, and act in teleplay The Venus Touch. In 2001 she was diagnosed with a brain tumour; D'Audney died the following year, after co-writing autobiography A Wonderful Life.