Page 3517 - Week 10 - Wednesday, 18 September 2019
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In closing, I want to share the story of a woman who I will refer to as Jane. Jane is 36 years old; she has a husband and a three-year-old child. Just a few weeks ago, Jane was blindsided. What began as a simple ultrasound to investigate a painful lump in her left breast turned into a diagnosis of breast cancer. The diagnosis is still sinking in. Jane is still in the process of sharing the news with friends and acquaintances. As Jane says:
The diagnosis has been a complete shock and has already completely changed my life, plans, and certainty about the future.
Jane and her husband were planning on adding to their family next year. Together they have had to make what Jane describes as a rapid decision to undertake measures to preserve her fertility. Jane says she was unaware of the delicate balance that needed to be struck between undertaking chemotherapy as soon as possible while discussing her future family goals with an obstetrician—just as Amy was unaware.
Jane had less than two weeks from her appointment with her obstetrician to undertake fertility preservation treatment and all the associated injections, blood tests and scans that go with it, as well as undergoing egg retrieval. All of this in under two weeks, not to mention all the other medical appointments and tests. Jane says she has felt fully supported in her family’s decision to undertake measures to help preserve her fertility. Her specialists discussed her options early, gave her the information she needed to make an informed decision and linked her with an obstetric support. Jane’s experience is an example of good, holistic patient care at a time of unimaginable stress and shock. Her family was supported to make what needed to be an almost instant decision.
While many patients with cancer and other serious disease are well supported to make decisions about their fertility, regrettably we know that this is not always the case. And while Jane has had a good experience with this process, the sheer complexity of it all, and the overwhelming nature of the diagnosis and ensuing decisions, can mean that not everyone has a supported experience with a clear pathway like Jane had.
This is why it makes sense to investigate the feasibility of a fertility preservation service for Canberra patients. In addition to supporting patients generally, there are other reasons why this service is particularly suited to and required in the ACT. One reason is the size of the ACT. A smaller jurisdiction can have its advantages when it comes to better connecting existing services or creating those clearer pathways. Another reason, as touched on by other members in their speeches, is the prominence of breast cancer in the ACT. Breast cancer is the most common cancer among women in the ACT. While the territory has the highest survival rate of breast cancer in the country, women under the age of 40 are more likely to have more aggressive cancers—women like Jane, Beth and Amy.
Dr Carolyn Cho is a breast and reconstructive surgeon and acting chair of the ACT breast cancer multidisciplinary group. She has provided a statement of support to me for this service that we are calling for today. Dr Cho highlighted the need for comprehensive support, discussion and treatment regarding both the cancer and the fertility preservation measures. She also highlighted the challenges that we have
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