‘It’s cruel’: South Australia last mainland state with no CAR-T cell therapy cancer treatment

Just two weeks after walking his daughter down the aisle, Mick Walker was diagnosed with cancer - and then he was told the only treatment was interstate away from his loved ones.

Mick Walker, who has been diagnosed with cancer, with his daughter Steph Walker and wife Raelene. Picture: Supplied by family

Two weeks after her dream wedding, the man that walked Steph Walker down the aisle, was diagnosed with a life-threatening cancer.

Now, he is fighting for his life alone, interstate and without the support of his family because the treatment he needs to survive is not available in South Australia.

Steph’s dad Mick Walker was diagnosed eight months ago with diffuse large B-cell lymphoma, a type of blood cancer.

“You see the strongest person you know completely destroyed … to then send them away for the fight to their life, no home, no family and loved ones around them it just seems cruel,” Steph said.

“Cancer is cruel enough, evil enough.”

Mr Walker, 70, worked as a concreter for his own business, up until he decided to bring himself into the emergency room after months of night sweats and abdominal pains he thought may have been gallstones.

After a week of tests doctors made the discovery of stage three/four cancer.

He went through multiple rounds of chemotherapy and radiation until all that was left was CAR-T cell therapy — which doctors has a 25 per cent success rate.

“If this doesn’t work, they’ve told us we’ve got about four or five months with dad and that’s it,” Steph, who is from Woodcroft, said.

Mick Walker on a trip to Iceland with his family, son Derrick, wife Raelene and daughter Steph. Picture: Supplied by family

Mick Walker, was diagnosed with diffuse large B-cell lymphoma. Here is on a trip to Switzerland with his family, daughters Steph and Emily and son Derrick. Picture: Supplied by family

Earlier this month Mr Walker travelled to Melbourne with his wife, Steph’s mum, Raelene to begin treatment because the therapy is not available in SA.

“I’d hate to think the day I dropped dad off would be the last day I saw him,” Steph said.

“He’s fighting for his life and he’s got no family around him.

“Mum’s over there with him, so she’s got no support system. They are not over there for a holiday. What she sees everyday is quite confronting and quite heavy and then she just returns to her apartment at the end of the day with no one around her so it’s a bit rough.”

What her family has gone through has inspired Steph to begin a petition to bring this potentially life-altering treatment to SA.

She is calling for the State Government to do something so other families don’t have to go through what hers is experiencing.

Mick Walker, who worked until his diagnosed at age 70, is undergoing CAR-T cell therapy. Here he is with his granddaughter Zara. Picture: Supplied by family

Health Minister Chris Picton has extended his thoughts to Steph, her dad and their family at this difficult time.

“Eligible South Australian patients are currently able to be supported to receive this therapy interstate,” he said.

“Professor Keith McNeil, the South Australian Commissioner for Excellence and Innovation in Healthcare, is already undertaking work to consider the viability of specialist therapies such as this being delivered in South Australia.”

Mick Walker with his wife Raelene. Picture: Supplied by family

An SA Health spokesman said they “have been actively exploring the delivery of this highly specialised treatment in our state”.

“The Department is currently working with a number of agencies to develop an approach for evaluating the introduction of these therapies so we can make an informed decision on whether a local program can be viably introduced,” they said.

The cost of CAR-T cell therapy typically for each patient reaches more than $200,000 and is available in hospitals in Victoria, New South Wales, Queensland and Western Australia.

You can sign Steph’s petition here.