📢 Have you ever faced a big bill, or a long journey just to get a diagnostic breast scan? We want to hear from you.
When you find a concerning lump or notable change in your breast, one of the most important things that you should be able to access quickly and safely is the answer to: is this breast cancer? We know that for too many people in our community, the pathway to diagnosis is full of barriers: high out‑of‑pocket costs, long waitlists, no public imaging options, or hours of travel just to access essential scans. ✨ As part of our End‑of‑Financial‑Year national advocacy campaign, we’re calling for fair and equitable access to diagnostic imaging for all Australians. To do that, we need real people to share their experiences and stories that show what is happening right now. BCNA is seeking lived experiences from anyone who has faced challenges such as: 🔸 Travelling long distances or interstate for a diagnostic breast scan 🔸 No public diagnostic facility available in your region 🔸 Significant out‑of‑pocket costs for essential imaging 🔸 Long waitlists that delayed your diagnosis 🔸 Impacts on treatment, health outcomes, or mental wellbeing due to these delays. 💪 Your story is powerful. It can help us demonstrate that access to a diagnosis is not a luxury - it’s a right. Your story will help us advocate for a system where every Australian gets the answers they need, regardless of their bank balance or their postcode. If you’re interested in having your voice heard and suppotring BCNA's advocacy efforts, please complete our Expression of Interest form here; 👉 https://formstack.io/907FC All stories will be handled with the utmost care and confidentiality by our Communications department. Thank you for helping us shape a better system where every Australian can get timely, equitable access to the diagnostic care they deserve ❤️
Travelling overseas with zoladex injections
Hello 🙂 I'm heading overseas for about 6 weeks to visit family, and I'm taking my zoladex injections with me. Will I be able to take them in my hand luggage? I'll be declaring them, and will have a letter from my oncologist, but qantas webpage isn't 100% clear about carrying them when I won't need to use them on the flight. I don't really want to check them in, in case my luggage goes missing.
Traveling with prosthesis
Hello everyone - I recently went to Perth airport to see some friends off. I went through the Virgin security and was unceremoniously patted down in public ! I don’t EVER want to go through that again ! We will be traveling domestically in two weeks so I’m looking for advice and support. Tissues have been suggested to use as padding - so has the water foam prosthesis - can anyone give me suggestions that have worked for them please. My husband has Alzeimers so my emphasis is on him - I can’t be taken away from him as he will become confused and distressed - thanks so very much 💗
Can you add more suggestions re travel & accommodation schemes in Australia
NSW Gov is asking for comments re travel & accomodation schemes - but, really, it relates to ALL states .... If you live in rural/regional/remote areas, make your concerns KNOWN to the powers that be ..... and JOIN OUR PRIVATE GROUP to share/agitate for better reimbursements! https://www.haveyoursay.nsw.gov.au/nsw-regional-health-plan?fbclid=IwAR1pSqCbCrPsargRf6xFxO817kIRjlrwB7Ll6evGRs1AOivg5VC9ZIaaWyU I reckon it is all of the above - as the hoops needed to jump thru for IPTAAS are ridiculous. 3 things that need to change asap - 1) ALL family members on the Medicare card should be able to contribute to the 200k a week travel required to access the payments - not each individual having to travel that amount themselves. 2) The specialist referrals for chronic/terminal conditions should last for the length of the treatment, not needing a new referral every 2 years. Either the patient gets better & the treatment/claims stop - or the patient passes away & the treatment/claims stop. 3) Essential Dental Treatment (eg extractions required before undergoing some forms of chemo) currently need to be done in a hospital to be able to make a claim (which takes up essential hospital beds) when they can be readily done in the Dental Chair .... THIS NEEDS to be changed - as we still need to travel for the service, but are not allowed to claim for it & it is an essential part of the patient's treatment. NOT having it done, can cause death or permanent disfigurement. And that is just the beginning ...... feel free to do the survey, tell them your ideas - hopefully some of them will be carried thru!
Travel Insurance
Hi All, I am clear of symptoms now and about to do a bit of travel and am looking for insurance. I'm worried about the pre-existing conditions clauses ... because I've always got tests to do and am worried in case I insure and then get tests that show my cancer has returned. Does anyone have experience with travel insurance companies that are OK on this sort of situation?
Travelling with a prosthesis
Hi all, At the risk of sounding silly...... I am going to Europe in February, and am wondering whether my breast prosthesis (silicone) will set off any alarms or alerts when going through customs, more specifically if I have to go through one of those full body scanner things. Shoould I get a letter from the doctor to explain what it is, just in case? Also, I had been thinking about changing to a lighter style of prosthesis filled with some kind of granulated material rather than silicone, but I wonder whether that would be even more suspicious looking? I would be interested in people's experiences Thanks Jane
Planning for the end of treatment
Hi All, I finish chemo this week (after 6 months, yay!), I'll go in for a double mastectomy and node clearance on the 9th May then, all things going to plan, do 5 weeks of radiation starting about the 11th June and finishing around the 16th July. One of the things keeping me positive is a plan to go away with a few friends once I'm all done and spend a week drinking margarita's in a private pool, occasionally leaving the pool to go to the spa for a massage etc. What I'd love to hear from you experienced people is...how long post treatment finishing would you have felt comfortable travelling internationally? Do you bounce back fairly quickly? Obviously I'll have a chat to my medical team but would really appreciate your input too. Thanks :) Jen
