Home from holiday
mixed emotions coming home. Whistler Canada was like a fairytale land. The cold agreed with me the lymphodema stayed under control and the swelling on the flight was no more than a hot day here at home I was certainly glad I didn’t have to suffer that lot. Left Sydney on a 45 degree day and arrived in. Whistler to a low of -3 to about 2 most days. The Wedding was spectacular seeing them marry where they met at the stone circle in a sprinkling of snow. And after the ceremony they snow boarded down the mountain in their wedding gear. If only I could afford to go back. I would spend every summer there. LA was different and Disney fun but was a bit disappointed the best parts were closed for maintenance. At least while I was away it was like the last few years hadn’t happened but now I’m back and nothing has changed. Same struggles. Oh well reality bites and I will soldier on. Next is to get some real hours back at work. If there are any available📢 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 ❤️
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?
