People making a difference

Judy Stack thinks of St George’s Hospital as her "other family”.

Over the last couple of years she’s been a regular visitor to the hospital. A routine mammogram in late 2020 at Canterbury Breastcare (onsite at St George’s) revealed tumours and resulted in Judy having a mastectomy at St George’s Hospital a couple of months later. One month later she started a programme of chemotherapy and radiation at St George’s Cancer Care Centre.

“The care at Breastcare was unbelievable,” Judy says. “ It was like being in a warm glove of kindness and caring where it was as if they were saying ‘how can we look after you and make this as painless a journey for you as we possibly can.’”

Judy had expected that after the surgery she was likely to need - at most - a small amount of radiation treatment. Unfortunately the surgery revealed the need for both chemotherapy and radiation.

While her medical insurance covered the surgery, Judy didn’t think she was covered for the cancer treatments. However a phone call to her insurance company revealed cover for a major medical event – which paid for all her care at the St George’s Cancer Care Centre.

Judy says the discovery she was covered for a major medical event was “a very, very happy day” that made a huge difference to her life.

“Whatever it all cost I didn’t have to do anything. I didn’t have to worry about money, I didn’t have to even think about money. St George’s took care of all of that. I didn’t even see an invoice. It was absolutely remarkable. When you are on that journey you just don’t want to be thinking about money.”

It also meant her treatment could start without delay.

“It all happened very seamlessly and the fact that it could all be done in that same environment made such a difference. I couldn’t fault anyone – from the wonderful nursing staff at Breastcare, to the nurses who cared for me after my surgery, right through to the fantastic support of everyone at St George’s Cancer Care Centre. It was just all the best experience you could have in an awful situation. I was so lucky.”

Judy had her last radiation treatment in October last year – just in time for her grandson’s birthday.

Looking back on her journey, she appreciates having had all her care on one site and for that site to be St George’s Hospital. As she completed each stage of her care, she was introduced her to the team who would care for her next – making it all so much more personal.

“I think it’s a wonderful environment, starting with being able to drive to where you are getting your treatment, and knowing there will be a car park available there. And after that you are not left desperately wandering through the hospital trying to find oncology or any other department that you might need. It was just wonderful and seamless.

“All of those nurses at Breastcare and St George’s became like friends. They are still like my other family. It is wonderfully positive benefit from a journey no-one wants to take.

“I went from someone who was very heathy and never needed any drugs, to having medical appointments every day, nearly without fail – it was absolutely life changing.

“Those nurses and medical experts made that journey as painless as possible, and that’s what I find most remarkable, because that is a huge change to your psyche. Their support made such a difference and gave me the confidence that I was getting the very best care.”