Leukaemia and blood cancer patients sell houses, cars to pay for treatment

Rising medical bills and cost of living pressures are forcing blood cancer patients to sell their homes and cars to pay for lifesaving treatments.

Alex with mum Breeanna Poar. Picture: Supplied.

Blood cancer patients are being forced to sell their houses and cars to pay for treatment amid soaring medical bills and rising cost of living.

Almost half (43 per cent) of Australians diagnosed with blood cancer experience out of pocket treatment costs totalling hundreds and sometimes thousands of dollars, new research from Leukaemia Foundation revealed.

The study found 42 per cent of patients had to take over three months off work during treatment, 30 per cent had to leave their job and half have not yet been able to return to work.

Most patients used savings to fund costs. Some were forced to sell assets including their house or car to afford treatment, while others turned to charity food boxes.

Alex, 2, was diagnosed with leukaemia in February last year. Picture: Supplied.

Alex’s mum Breeanna and partner Kyle gave up work and moved to afford lifesaving treatment. Picture: Supplied

Leukaemia Foundation chief executive Chris Tanti said more than 19,000 Australians will be diagnosed with blood cancer this year, with the figure set to nearly double by 2035.

“Many Australians are already doing it tough due to the rising cost-of-living and this is just another burden that’s being placed on them at a time where they need to focus on their health and getting better,” he said.

“Many individuals and their loved ones are faced with extremely difficult financial decisions just to survive their blood cancer.”

Breeanna Poar, mother to two-year-old Alex, had to give up work and relocate to Melbourne from Shepparton for lifesaving treatment after her son was diagnosed with leukaemia in February last year.

Ms Poar’s partner Kyle Lines also took several months off work to help look after Alex in Melbourne and lost his job as a result, placing significant financial strain on the family.

“We were dividing our time between home and Melbourne – money for fuel and food on top of costs for pain relief to help him through the side effects of chemo was very costly,” Ms Poar said.

Alex with mum Breeanna Poar. Picture: Supplied.

“When I stopped working and Kyle lost his job, we were really struggling, particularly with the cost of living also going up.”

Ms Poar said they were “incredibly lucky” to stay in accommodation funded by the Leukaemia Foundation in between hospital visits to help ease financial pain.

Blood cancers remain among the most expensive to treat, with myeloma and leukaemia accounting for two of the top five costliest cancers.

Myeloma, an incurable blood cancer, costs the health system about $46,000 per individual per year, almost triple the average cost incurred by other cancer patients in Australia.

The weighted average out of pocket costs to an individual with blood cancer ranges from $5,000 to $11,000, compared to $2,500 for other cancer patients.

The Leukaemia Foundation will celebrate its 25th anniversary of the World’s Greatest Shave this year.

The organisation is urging Australians to sign up to shave, cut or colour their hair and raise vital funds to help their fellow Australians experiencing the financial burden of a blood cancer diagnosis and help them beat the disease.