Townsville mother shares excruciating five-month wait for cancer test

A young mum has spoken out about the “terrifying” wait for answers after finding a lump in her breast — revealing she wasn’t even told she had cancer until she was asked about considering a double mastectomy

Caz Price is currently undergoing chemo for cancer, but was forced to wait 5 months for an investigative screening. Picture: Evan Morgan

With two young children and her whole life ahead of her, Townsville mum Caz Price never expected to hear the words “you have breast cancer.”

After discovering a lump in mid-2023, Ms Price was thrown into a months-long battle — not just against cancer, but against long wait times and hefty costs for the scans and tests she desperately needed.

“It was very psychological,” she said.

Her story comes as the Townsville Bulletin reveals growing concern from women across regional Queensland, many of whom are being forced to wait weeks or months for vital investigative scans.

One cancer survivor who recently found a lump in her breast said she contacted six different providers, only to be told the earliest appointment was April 17, weeks away.

Now in the final three months of her chemotherapy, Ms Price is speaking out in the hopes of increasing services and reducing wait times for women during some of the most difficult times of their lives.

Her journey began when she first found a lump in her breast in the middle of 2023.

“I found a lump and went to my doctor, and she was like ‘you’re so young; it’s not much to stress about’, but got sent for an ultrasound,” she said.

Caz Price is currently undergoing chemo for cancer, but was forced to wait 5 months for an investigative screening. Picture: Evan Morgan

At North Queensland X-Ray, where the scan was free, she was told the initial lump looked fine — but another lump was found in her other breast.

Given her family history of breast cancer, she returned to her GP, only to be told to “give it three months” before revisiting.

“You can tell in your body when something is not quite right,” she said.

“I had that feeling, and I wanted to be taken seriously because I was scared.”

She kept pushing. When the lump grew, she finally got a biopsy — but only through Queensland X-Ray, which required their own imaging.

The $1000 cost was out of reach and she ended up crying on the phone with a member of their staff.

“I was crazy — I didn’t know what I was supposed to do, and I was really worried,” she said.

The staff member advised her to get a referral to the breast care nurse at Townsville University Hospital, which ultimately covered the cost.

But by that time, five months had passed since her first visit and the fast-growing cancer had progressed to stage three.

Female patient receiving breast scan, radiographer looking at medical image on screen

Adding to the stress of the situation, Ms Price said she wasn’t even told outright that she had cancer. 

“I had a surgical appointment and I didn’t know what it was for,” she said.

“The doctor started talking to me about a double mastectomy and I said if it was cancer I would I get one, I asked if that meant it wasn’t good news [from the results] and he said ‘has no one told you yet, you better come and sit down.”

“The whole experience was very full on.”

Ms Price said she had a good experience with the breast cancer nurse and the staff at the Townsville University Hospital and began receiving treatment.

“As soon as I had that surgical appointment on a Monday, Friday I had my first dose of chemo,” she said.

“It moved quickly one we worked out what needed to happen.”

Having undergone six months of intensive chemo, radiation, surgery and just three months left of chemo, Ms Price said the need for cancers test is made all the more hard with the costs.

“Everyone is paying an extortionate amount for rent, groceries, fuel, everything is so expensive,” she said.

“Everyone I know is living pay check to pay check.”
“You are left without a choice when there are not many options and the its expensive and wait times are long.”

Australian Medical Association union president, Dr Nick Yim backs calls for immediate fix to diagnostic breast cancer delays. Picture: Russell Shakespeare.

Australian Medical Association Queensland president Dr Nick Yim told the Bulletin in March the issue of long wait times for diagnostic cancer tests was most pronounced in regional areas.

“We know this is a particular problem for women seeking breast cancer diagnostic services,” he said.

“This is a statewide issue caused by our chronic workforce shortage but is worse in regional and rural communities.”

Dr Yim said there were “simply not enough” healthcare professionals to meet the demand, including radiologists, radiographers and sonographers.

Anyone seeking clinical, psychosocial and emotional support right through cancer treatment, for free, no matter the type of cancer, can contact a McGrath Cancer Care Nurse at the Townsville University Hospital on 07 4433 3341.

Originally published as Townsville mother shares excruciating five-month wait for cancer test