Why endometriosis patients still travel interstate for treatment
Despite new treatment technology in regional Queensland women are still fighting an uphill battle for adequate endometriosis healthcare. FIND OUT WHY
Whitsunday
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Women and girls are playing thousands for endometriosis treatments unavailable in regional Queensland.
One family from Mackay claims to have paid as much as $12,000 to travel for surgeries in an effort to stop excruciating pain.
The Whitsunday Regional Council contributed $10,000 for new equipment at Proserpine Hospital but families say it is still not enough.
The recent funding was requested by Mackay Hospital Foundation whose chair, Gillian Smith, who said women could now access a minimally invasive procedure that could significantly improve their quality of life.
But patients like Emma Morgan say it is just one piece of a complex healthcare puzzle with many like her still travelling to larger cities and even interstate for treatments.
Emma has lived with endometriosis for many years and recently secured treatment in Brisbane for her complex case.
Her mother Jamie said the difference it made having doctors who had a deep understanding of the condition was life changing.
“To have truly specialised endo care means more education for our doctors from the ground up,” Ms Morgan said. “It isn’t normal to live in pain.”
Emma started experiencing intense pain and vomiting with every period at age 15 but doctors just prescribed the contraceptive pills without further investigation.
She was eventually able to find a specialist and she was soon booked in to for surgery performed by a doctor in Brisbane who specialised in the excision of endometriosis.
Ms Morgan said this was a surgery Emma could not access in Mackay.
Her daughter was lucky to have family who could assist her financially or travelling for treatment just would not have been possible.
Mackay resident Kiarra, last name withheld, recently travelled to Sydney to have excision endometriosis surgery.
She said she was dismissed by specialists in the regions and had been in tears claiming she was not confident and did not want to take risks on surgery.
Her self-funded strip to Sydney cost around $12,000 including travel expenses.
She said the whole experience was “draining, expensive, and exhausting”.
“The most helpful thing to women in the region currently would be GPs streamlining the process and instead of trying to dismiss patients – send them for bloods, ultrasound,” she said.
Federal Member for Dawson, Andrew Wilcox, said there was a broader healthcare access shortage across the regions.
“My people are travelling a minimum of three hours to see a specialist if available at one of the larger centres, being Townsville or Mackay but many have to make the trip to Brisbane and Sydney,” Mr Wilcox said.
“But this shortage is not just of the specialist kind but starts with the lack of general practitioners, long wait list on the few available GPs and placing more pressure on our hospitals.”
He said he would continue to do his best to attract medical professionals to the region.
For women newly diagnosed with endometriosis in regional areas, Kiarra said it was important to do thorough research, and not settle for inadequate care.
“Advocate for yourself,” she said.
“Don’t give up hope completely that there is nothing more out there for you besides birth control.”
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