Okay, so here is the deal. My mom has breast cancer. She has had a lumpectomy, and had some lymph nodes taken. The got the lump and the lymph nodes came back clean. Sounds good, right? 2-4 weeks is considered the best amount of time after surgury to begin chemo and radiation. It has already been 5 weeks for my mother. She is not set to even see a doctor to have a consultation until the 25th of September. Obviously, this is well past the 2-4 week optimum. She has called the Cancer Centre and asked about the wait. Why the wait? Lack of resources.... basically, they don't have enough doctors and staff to handle to number of patients being sent their way. So, in talking at length to the people at the Cancer Centre, I have come to realize that all the whining and bitching and calling I do is not going to move my Mother's consultation up. However, it might have an impact on what happens in the future. Each call to the Quality of Care Coordinator is logged and reported. It serves as data for those people trying to make a case for improvements in the system. When I call and express my distress at the lengthy wait times for breast cancer, that is logged as such. When I call tomorrow to do the same thing, it is logged again. Annonymity is guaranteed. So, my brain wave is to ask as many people to call as are willing. When you call, it asks if you are a patient or calling on behalf of a patient and then you leave your message. You could make it as simple or as detailed as you like. Bottom line, the wait times for breast cancer patients from surgery to the first consultation are unacceptable and are negatively impacting the chances of these patients for long term survival. The number is 1-866-577-6489 Thanks in advance, if any of you call. Just think... anyone can get breast cancer. It could be your mother next time, your sister, your brother even.
i'm so sorry to hear about the wait time your mom is experiencing. you might want to contact your mla as well all the best healing wishes ps you may want to check this book out: http://www.amazon.ca/exec/obidos/AS...8-1/ref=sr_8_xs_ap_i1_xgl/702-9427585-2240003
yeah... I've written letters to the MLA, Premier and the Health Minister. Again, I doubt it's going to move her up the list, but it might help someone else down the line. Watch for me! If she gets worse because of this, i might pull and Cindy and camp out on Lorne Calverts lawn demanding answers.
