A SIGNIFICANT financial burden for cancer patients using the Balranald Can Assist service has been lifted.
Clients’ compulsory vehicle insurance will now be covered by the service.
In New South Wales, anyone who registers a vehicle must pay for a green slip, which is a personal injury insurance policy.
Balranald Can Assist branch president Connie Rasmussen said the green slip could now be covered by their service, depending on available funds.
“It’s on a needs-basis with our clients,” she said.
“We’re hoping that people will bring their green slips before they’ve paid for it, so we can pay it.
“When the funding runs out for this year, we won’t be able to cover our clients’ green slips.”
Ms Rasmussen said the service would not cost their clients any money to use.
“Because it’s Can Assist, they’ve got to have a cancer diagnosis and be a client of ours,” she said.
“If they’re not a client of ours and they have been diagnosed with cancer they can become a client.”
The funding has been given to the organisation by greenslips.com.au.
Ms Rasmussen said the service was new to the Balranald branch.
“We’ve not gone into registrations or anything like that before, so this is all new,” she said.
“They’ve given us a bit of funding and we can apply again for it, but we’ve got a bucket of funding at the moment.
“It doesn’t come out of the cancer clients’ pocket, so they see it as a big saving, that they don’t actually have to pay for this,” Ms Rasmussen said.
Ms Rasmussen said if a cancer patient doesn’t have a car to transport them, there could sometimes be no other way to get to treatment, because of limited transport.
“We have the tyranny of distance, so a car is vital and the support of greenslips.com.au is incredibly practical,” she said.
“Most people are fiercely independent because they feel no control over the cancer, so maintaining their mobility and car is something that gives them a sense of control.
“I’ve seen the impact a cancer diagnosis can have. We can’t take that burden away but Can Assist can help pay a few bills such as a green slip.”
Balranald Can Assist founder and secretary Tina Powis said the car wasn’t the only way to travel for treatment, but was essential for maintaining normality through social interactions.
“When you live in the country, you are very dependent on your four wheels,” she said.
“You would be isolated without them and it’s important to maintain as much independence as possible.
Can Assist provides practical and financial support for cancer patients, with the Balranald branch opening in 2007.
