Hi everyone,

I never thought I’d be writing something like this, but life has thrown us bit of a curveball this year eeeek

A few months ago, I noticed a lump in my neck. My initial blood tests came back normal, but after further checks, an ultrasound flagged a TRAD 5 nodule, followed by a biopsy confirming Category 6 thyroid cancer.

The good news is we’ve caught it early (ish), but it’s a bit of a “small but mighty” lump. There are concerns it may already be affecting the surrounding neck tissue, and it’s very close to spreading further, with only a thin membrane currently separating the tumour from my oesophagus.

Because of how unpredictable cancer cells can be, I’ve been strongly advised by multiple medical professionals to have surgery as soon as possible. While Australia’s public healthcare system is great, the current wait time is around 4 months, which unfortunately isn’t recommended. This surgery is also quite intricate, involving areas like the vocal cord nerve, major arteries, calcium glands, and windpipe - so I’ve been advised that going private gives me the best chance of a successful outcome (being young and youthful and all that)

The issue is that my private health insurance doesn’t cover me yet. I only took out my policy earlier this year, and there’s a 12-month waiting period for cover, which is something I obviously never anticipated needing. I literally only took this out to avoid the Medicare Levy when it comes to tax time haha.

I’ve also looked into withdrawing my superannuation early on compassionate grounds, but as I’m not yet a permanent resident or citizen in Australia, I’m unfortunately not eligible to access this money of mine.

Returning to the UK for treatment through the NHS is another option I’m exploring, as home will always be home. However, this comes with its own challenges including uncertain wait times, the cost of last-minute flights (which are currently pretty high), and visa implications around leaving Australia.

At this stage, going private here in Sydney is the quickest and safest option, but it comes with an out of pocket cost of approx $13,000 - $19,000 AUD, depending on the extent of the surgery required.

I’ve set up this page to help ease the pressure. Any support, whether that’s donating or simply sharing, would mean more than I can put into words.

Just to note, my incredible family back home are already helping me get this off the ground, but I’d love to ease that pressure wherever I can. I’m so lucky to have such a supportive circle around me, I just really hate having to ask

Thank you so much for your kindness, support, and love.

Megs xx