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Rural healthcare in Australia: 1,500km for a cancer diagnosis Rural healthcare in Australia: 1,500km for a cancer diagnosis
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The distance between remote, rural communities and specialised healthcare takes an emotional and financial toll – even on those who do seek out early intervention.The distance between remote, rural communities and specialised healthcare takes an emotional and financial toll – even on those who do seek out early intervention.
Sharon Stowbel was 39 when she found a lump in her breast. She was living in Esperance on the south coast of Western Australia with her husband and children. Sharon Scoble was 39 when she found a lump in her breast. She was living in Esperance on the south coast of Western Australia with her husband and children.
Despite being told by several local medical services that it was probably nothing, Stowbel persisted with her concerns, and travelled 750km to Perth at her own expense – twice – to have a biopsy performed, which discovered cancerous tissue. Despite being told by several local medical services that it was probably nothing, Scoble persisted with her concerns, and travelled 750km to Perth at her own expense – twice – to have a biopsy performed, which discovered cancerous tissue.
Stowbel was more than eight hours' drive from home, away from her husband and children, and dealing with a cancer diagnosis that doctors had given her a 99.9% certainty against. Scoble was more than eight hours' drive from home, away from her husband and children, and dealing with a cancer diagnosis that doctors had given her a 99.9% certainty against.
"I was expecting it to be nothing. So I was in Perth with my mum and then I had to ring my husband to say 'oh, it actually is something'. So then he's had to drive up in the car," she said."I was expecting it to be nothing. So I was in Perth with my mum and then I had to ring my husband to say 'oh, it actually is something'. So then he's had to drive up in the car," she said.
"Everyone expects that your partner is going to be with you all the time while in reality it doesn't work like that.""Everyone expects that your partner is going to be with you all the time while in reality it doesn't work like that."
Stowbel had to undergo surgery to have her nipple removed but they found more cancer during the procedure, so she had a mastectomy, which uncovered the lump she had felt initially, leading to surgery to remove cancerous lymph nodes. Scoble had to undergo surgery to have her nipple removed but they found more cancer during the procedure, so she had a mastectomy, which uncovered the lump she had felt initially, leading to surgery to remove cancerous lymph nodes.
For two years, Stowbel travelled to Perth roughly every three weeks for treatment. Once the diagnosis was made, travel assistance payments kicked in but only for herself, not her family. For two years, Scoble travelled to Perth roughly every three weeks for treatment. Once the diagnosis was made, travel assistance payments kicked in but only for herself, not her family.
Her husband was working contract at the time with no leave benefits, so she travelled on her own mostly. A health insurance payment helped with the mortgage and bills.Her husband was working contract at the time with no leave benefits, so she travelled on her own mostly. A health insurance payment helped with the mortgage and bills.
"It does put a massive strain on your family,” she said. “Being the person with cancer, you still want to try and make things as normal as possible for everyone around you.""It does put a massive strain on your family,” she said. “Being the person with cancer, you still want to try and make things as normal as possible for everyone around you."
Esperance hospital now has two chemotherapy beds and a chemotherapy nurse. Stowbel and her husband moved to Broome last year – where there are even fewer services, and people have to travel more than 2,000km to Perth for specialist care. She is cancer-free, but is still concerned about the low levels of health services in regional Australia. Esperance hospital now has two chemotherapy beds and a chemotherapy nurse. Scoble and her husband moved to Broome last year – where there are even fewer services, and people have to travel more than 2,000km to Perth for specialist care. She is cancer-free, but is still concerned about the low levels of health services in regional Australia.
"I look at Esperance and we've got one chemo nurse, but what if she's got a cold? What if she's sick? They need to invest in training people that are already in the country.""I look at Esperance and we've got one chemo nurse, but what if she's got a cold? What if she's sick? They need to invest in training people that are already in the country."
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