A St Albans Park mother is calling for a change in the costs of receiving a breast cancer diagnosis, backed by thousands of people across the state.
Aimee Glen created a Change.org petition to make breast cancer diagnostic tests free following her diagnosis of stage two invasive breast cancer at age 31 in September last year.
The entire process of testing for breast cancer cost the young mum $1442 and left her $787 out of pocket after Medicare rebates.
Ms Glen said she was lucky to have the funds to receive an early diagnosis, with other cancer patients having to fork over $3000 for an initial diagnosis.
“I was given an initial quote for the ultrasound, and then the ultrasound turned into a mammogram, which then turned into a biopsy and another mammogram,” she said.
“During the whole journey, I’ve often thought about how much it did cost me, and I could see this being an inhibitor towards other women getting an early diagnosis.
“The petition is gaining a lot of traction, which makes me realise it has affected a lot of women and men, because breast cancer doesn’t discriminate and affects a lot of people.
“There are people basically being told that if they tested earlier, they probably would have a much better prognosis, but they couldn’t afford that initial testing and that confirmed my worst fears.”
A state government spokesperson told the Independent that screening mammograms were available for women aged 40 and over with no disease symptoms, but that doctor referrals may incur a fee.
They also said Medicare rebates and services such as BreastScreen Victoria’s Women’s Health Mobile Clinic were available.
“Every Victorian, no matter where you live or your financial circumstances, deserves access to quality cancer support and care,” they said.
“We know that financial barriers can prevent some from accessing timely cancer care and we are committed to addressing these barriers and making cancer care more accessible and affordable.”
Ms Glen’s petition has gained more than 13,000 signatures as of 1pm on July 31, since it was created on July 16.
Visit change.org/p/make-breast-cancer-diagnostic-tests-free for more information.
