NT blood cancer sufferers, families, facing significant financial distress

Darwin man Robert Smith has incurable myeloma – and while chemotherapy brought him “to his knees”, and the cost related to his treatment continued to rise – he found solace in the support offered by a vital provider.

Robert Smith after his stem cell therapy with his wife Jo. Picture: Supplied

Darwin man Robert Smith has incurable myeloma – and while chemotherapy brought him to his knees, and the cost related to his treatment continued to rise – he found solace in the support offered by a vital provider.

This March, for World’s Greatest Shave, the Leukaemia Foundation is shining a light on the financial distresses often faced by blood cancer sufferers and their families.

Research shows that 43 per cent of the 19,500 patients diagnosed with blood cancer in the last 12 months had to fork out big bucks for out of pocket treatments.

But what impacts them more is that they and their loved ones often need to step away from work for significant periods of time.

Mr Smith, a former audio producer at ABC Darwin, had to deal with those financial hardships first hand.

He said he only managed thanks to the Leukaemia Foundation’s Bridgestone Australia Blood Cancer Centre in Adelaide, where he had to travel for treatment.

Rob Smith on the job for ABC Darwin. Picture: Supplied

Robert while on the job for the ABC. Picture: Supplied

“My wife, because I had been so sick in that year that I was on chemo, she basically burned all her sick leave and carers leave, all her long service leave, all that sort of stuff,” Mr Smith said.

“In the end she was basically on leave without pay.

“So we were stuck in Adelaide, I was just eking out the last of my sick leave and entitlements from the ABC.

“If we were also having to look for casual holiday accommodation or something like that while we were there we probably would have had to sell the house.”

Rob after his stem cell therapy. Picture: Supplied

Mr Smith’s experience was compounded by the fact he had to start chemotherapy, which brought him “to my knees”, just as Covid was rearing its ugly head, keeping him and his wife away from Darwin for eight months.

The whole experience was made bearable by the Blood Cancer Centre – which is just one of the many initiatives that money raised from the World’s Greatest Shave contributes towards.

“It’s quite hard to believe how awesome and fantastic (the Centre is),” he said.

“When we were there, there were a couple of people from Darwin, there were people from very rural Victoria and South Australia.

“You just think, people are going through so much s--t at the time that they don’t need to be dealing with. the stress of ‘Oh God we’ve got to find money for a motel or somewhere to stay’.”

Mr Smith said he was unbelievably lucky, having had such a long career with ABC Darwin that he had ample leave to support him – but acknowledged others were not so lucky.

Deb Fryers was forced to sell her home to cover costs of her treatment. Picture: Leukaemia Foundation

Deb Fryers, a 49-year-old Melbourne woman was forced to sell her house and give up her pets so she could continue treatment.

Mr Smith urged people to support the Leukaemia Foundation and the World’s Greatest Shave events.

“It’s one of the best causes around, I believe,” he said.

“Particularly for Territorians, because you’re so far removed from home base when you need to go get treatment.”

Sign up to take part in the World’s Greatest Shave, or simply donate here: worldsgreatestshave.com.