My little brother, well not so little these days, has Type I Diabetes. He was diagnosed when he was 12 years old. If you too are diabetic and looking for diabetic travel insurance, then you will understand the life changes involved for the entire family.
Nick was tall, fit, sporty, good looking and desperately wanted to join the Police Force. He wanted to go into the Army like his dad and granddad, careers which were denied him. He became a very angry young man and deeply resented “being different”. This meant he was what medics would term a “non-compliant” patient.
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Of course, we all know that it is Breast Cancer Awareness Month, don’t we? So what does this mean? Do we all give ourselves an extra special check this month? Do we only worry about breasts now? Are breasts a conversation piece over dinner during this month? Or is it a wonderful excuse to dip further into your pocket for another fantastic cause?
I must admit to being a Corrie fan, and this week there has been a timely introduction of breast cancer into the plot, with great signposting to the necessary support. Getting the message out there to a mass market. This is certainly awareness raising.
When asked to write this piece, I had recently attended a function in recognition of Lymphoma Awareness week. Apparently it is also Teenage Cancer Awareness Week now. I then decided to check how many awareness weeks etc there were in a year, and the answer is 100s! Many for things I have never even heard of.
So my question is, what is the purpose of them, and are they effective? Certainly the charities get behind them, and I’m sure they receive a much needed injection of cash. I’m also sure that people are prompted to think about those particular issues more than they would normally. But since there are now so many, I wonder if people take as much notice as they did.
When a celebrity is affected, the awareness of that particular issue is heightened. One high profile example of that is the ‘Jade Goody effect’. Once the issues surrounding cervical cancer were in the public domain, so many more people went for screening. However it seems that these situations are all temporary, as that is quickly forgotten, and another issue comes to the fore. Like an ever turning roundabout!
After a great deal of thought about the above question, I have concluded, that we are better off with awareness weeks than not. Even though their effects may have been watered down over the years. I feel also, that they can provide a time for reflection, which is very important, and understated. Naturally they are a massive fundraising opportunity too. I personally believe that all publicity is good publicity, and the fact that we can now talk much more openly about cancer, has been helped by awareness raising such as this.
Thank you to Chris for today’s blog. Chris blogs regularly on cancer and the issues of living with cancer in his blog, Chris’s Cancer Community.
I have 2 children aged 17 and 9 years old who both have Cystic Fibrosis – a genetically inherited life-threatening condition.
Since Cystic Fibrosis entered my life over 12 years ago, I have frequented the Cystic Fibrosis Trust Forum for support, advice and help. I have seen umpteen Threads on the Forum about travel insurance. These are from adults living with the condition and parents of children with Cystic Fibrosis. Some of the quotes they have received are, quite frankly, downright disgusting! Astronomical amounts which, in some cases, work out more expensive than the holiday itself!
This obviously puts those living with CF off travelling abroad. To me, this is discrimination for living with such a complex medical condition. Cystic Fibrosis is not the same in any two people, even siblings. I should know only too well as a parent of 2 boys with CF.
Granted, some of those living with CF have far more needs than others. Some need oxygen to travel. Others have had transplants, or are waiting for a transplant. They may also have liver problems, kidney problems, diabetes or joint problems. Others travel with a great deal of medical equipment and medication.
Some spend a lot of time in Hospital every year for IV antibiotics. Others do home IV’s, leading to less time in Hospital. But this, for a person with Cystic Fibrosis, is generally routine. This is mostly every 3 months to keep infections under control.
Travel insurance companies have various questions they ask when quoting for a pre-existing medical condition. As soon as you mention that you or your child with CF has been in Hospital for treatment in the last 12 months, they will either not insure you or the cost rockets.
It seems to me that most travel insurance companies are living in the past. The past where treatments were not as good as they are today. People with Cystic Fibrosis were not monitored so closely. Things like antibiotics – oral and Intravenous – were not so widely available. In those days, nebulisers were plugged in with a hose hanging out the window. They made a noise so loud you had to turn the TV up full volume to hear it! Travel Insurance Companies should do some RESEARCH on Cystic Fibrosis and current treatments.
In July of this year, I found myself in need of Travel Insurance to cover myself and my eldest son for a trip to New York in August. I’d left it to the last minute, as ringing around various places for quotes did not appeal to me. Endless questions to ask – some of them downright stupid! Answering questions I hope I never have to say yes to. Then getting a figure at the end which is way over the budget set aside for insurance.
I tried two Companies initially. One which I had used for a trip to Cyprus the previous year, which was quite reasonable. That was for both my boys. This time, not so reasonable! They set off at just over £305, which I was shocked by! When I’d used them the previous year for a trip to Las Vegas with Dan, they had cost me £85. I found it hard to understand why their quote was so much more in less than a year. No different treatments. No Hospital stays since September 2010. Nothing had changed!
The next Company quoted me £274. They were haggling to reduce it every time I said that was too much. So they were obviously not set prices quoted.
Just about to give in when I remembered the friendly banter from an insurance company I follow on Twitter. I know they insure pre-existing medical conditions – INSURANCEWITH. Having problems getting through to their Agents on the telephone and being held in a queue resulted in me Tweeting them directly for help. In response, they took my phone number and an Agent rang me back that afternoon. They do ask a few more questions for the Insurance Quote, which I was happy to answer. I was even happier with the £81.50 quote, which I took out straight away. This price covered Dan for Cystic Fibrosis and me, with no pre-existing medical conditions. No hassle, no awkward questions – just yes, no answers.
Result = Two very happy travellers!
It is essential Travel Insurance is taken out for a trip to USA, even more than to Europe, due to the cost of medication and hospitalisation. Thankfully, we had no need to make use of the insurance whilst in New York. A good time was had by all.
To anyone seeking travel insurance cover for Cystic Fibrosis, I would recommend Insurancewith every time – friendly, professional, considerate and affordable!
Thanks to Lorraine Barnes for today’s blog.
Following on from my recent blog about the cleanliness of UK beaches, it would appear from a report by the European Environment Agency (EEA) that our European neighbours beaches have also come up to scratch. This will be encouraging news for our travel insurance customers planning a European seaside break this summer.
The latest annual Bathing Water Report from EEA and the European Commission, which looks at water quality in more than 22,000 bathing sites at beaches, rivers and lakes across Europe last year, has found 77.1% of sites had excellent quality, which means it complied with the most stringent guide values.
Encouragingly only 2% of bathing waters tested were non- compliant.
Any of our medical conditions travel insurance customers planning a bucket and spade holiday in the UK this summer will be interested in the best beaches for a staycation. These are featured in the latest Good Beach Guide compiled by the Marine Conservation Society (MCS). The survey showed that some of our beaches are the cleanest for years. Despite this, the guide stresses that there is still a lot of work to be done on maintaining and improving them.
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