New financial and practical assistance fact sheet now available!

Annie Gayed
Annie Gayed Member Posts: 204
edited May 2013 in General discussion

Hi all,

I thought I would let you know that BCNA has just launched our new Financial and Practical Assistance fact sheet for women.

It outlines a range of benefits, subsidies and services that may be available for you and your family to help reduce the financial impact of breast cancer.

We hope that the fact sheet is helpful to you as well as those who may be supporting you -  whether it be a partner, parent, friend or colleague.

You can download a copy from the fact sheet page of our website, or phone us on 1800 500 258 and we’ll post you a copy.

I hope you find the new fact sheet helpful! I would love to hear feedback if you have any – just comment on this blog or send me an email at policy@bcna.org.au.

Cheers
Annie

Comments

  • dianne_n
    dianne_n Member Posts: 35
    edited March 2015
    This is such a good idea, with having to leave work to have treatment because work wouldn't give me any time off, this would have been such a great help last year. This is the type of assistance breast care nurses could have in a handy pamphlet to give to you when they give you all the medical info. Really, this is SO important, especially all the practical things and what you could claim from Centrelink etc.
  • Annie Gayed
    Annie Gayed Member Posts: 204
    edited March 2015

    Hi Di,

    Thanks for the feedback :) We really hope women and their families will find it useful.

    We're also *really* hopeful that health professionals will hand it out too.

    ~ Annie

  • Kazba3
    Kazba3 Member Posts: 1
    edited March 2015

    Thank you for acknowledging this area. I would like to provide an outline of my personal experience. I was diagnosed in July 2010, up until this time I was a full time worker and owned and operated businesses. My diagnosis and subsequent treatment was lumpectomy ,chemo, radiation followed by a full hysterectomy with a pulmonary embolism thrown in. I had to sell my business and could no longer work. I applied to centre link for assistance, was rejected, and it has taken 2 years for them to finally put me on the disability benefit to which I am entitled. I searched forever and found Welfare Rights who helped me appeal. I had to have a tribunal hearing and was finally successful. Neither my doctors or I was aware that it is based on tables and a point system. You need 20 points from 1 table to qualify for a disability and none of this information is readily available to us. These tables should be presented to all doctors and claimants from the very beginning. I have experienced such disregard and lack of compassion, in a time when it is needed most. Claiming on super is almost impossible and will probably take another 2 years. In the meantime, I have struggled to make ends meet and looks like I will lose my home. I hope that this topic can be further discussed as I believe this is an area that definitely needs immediate attention.

  • Annie Gayed
    Annie Gayed Member Posts: 204
    edited March 2015

    Hi Kaz,

    Gosh, it sounds like you've had a really tough trot - I'm sorry to hear it. Are you claiming superannuation through the financial hardship route? It seems ridiculous that it would take two years, especially considering that you may lose your home. If you haven't already done so, it may be best to let your superannuation company know that the sitauation is fairly urgent. If you're unhappy with their response, perhaps you could consider contacting the Superannuation Complaints Tribunal, who may be able to review the decision and make a determination on a matter. They can be contacted on
    1300 780 808.

    The costs of a breast cancer diagnosis are so far reaching and, sadly as you know so well, don't stop once treatment is over. We recently posted about the out of pocket costs of breast cancer on our Facebook page which has resulted in some healthy discussion from a number of women. If you want to find the comments, they are under the post titled "BCNA Community Liaison Helen Williamson has shared her experience of out-of-pocket costs after a breast cancer diagnosis in The Age - theage.com.au today".

    ~ Annie

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