I would like to make the public aware of the absolute lack of support there is for cancer patients from the government.
I am a 53-year-old woman who was recently diagnosed with stage four metastatic breast cancer.
My first disappointment with the lack of support was when I applied for the disability support pension (DSP).
One of the conditions that needs to be met in order to be eligible for the DSP is that the applicant has a life expectancy of less than 24 months.
Apart from the fact that there is no other diagnosis that has such a limited life expectancy, this is extremely prejudicial to a person’s mental health.
Another issue is that we are not entitled to any assistance at all from NDIS.
I was planning to ask for assistance with home help.
I was told by the NDIS agent at the Gosford Service Centre that my condition was medical not a disability.
The agent didn’t even bother to ask what type of cancer I had or what kind of assistance I needed.
I would have explained to him that I have been informed by my oncologist that I will have cancer for the rest of my life and will need to have chemotherapy for the rest of my life.
I think this is disgraceful way to treat anybody.
Email, Oct 3
Mary Dimech, Gosford
Yes this is disgraceful I had the same experience trying to get a Disabled Pension as I was diagnosed with a Brain Tumour and when I read on the form about the applicant has a life expectancy of less than 24 months. We have Cancer and there is no support or help