Air travel & insurance in Stage IV and Metastatic Breast Cancer

sharmal

Hello everybody.I am from India. My mom is diagnosed with Metastatic Breast Cancer (1.5 yrs back) in Lungs and multiple bones.

The disease is recurred after 7 years of gap from Stage II. Currently, she was suggested to undergo 3 cycle of Chemo (Carboplatine + Navelbine).

My mom has never done any international trip to any country. My mom loves travelling and always excited to visit new places and experience different culture.

I want her to take to Singapore for Vacation. Singapore is 5 hrs Air travel from India.

I want to know how feasible is to do Air travel for Cancer patient to any other country?

I am worried about travel insurance?? Incase if i don't find travel insurance for my mom, will we able to travel to Singapore??

If any one have traveled to Singapore before, could you please suggest what other things i need to make sure??

I really appreciate any help or suggestion for this. Thank you so much. Love and blessing.

Tina2

Sharmal,

If your mother feels well, there is no reason she should not fly or take a vacation. I have made many trips via air from my home in the eastern U.S. to Europe in the nearly six years since my diagnosis of breast cancer metastases to my lungs. I've been in treatment all that time and have never had a problem of any sort with flying. I always get travelers' insurance just in case I must cancel the trip or return home for any reason. I've never had a problem getting travelers' insurance either, but the rules vary from country to country.

That said, your mother should check with her doctor to see if there may be any health issue with her traveling. Then you should talk with someone knowledgeable, such as a travel agent in your country, about insurance related to travel to Singapore.

I imagine your mother will love this trip, particularly since you will be taking it together. I hope you can go!

Tina

pajim

Sharmal, I have only bone mets but I travel all the time for work, etc. I will fly across the Atlantic Ocean three times this year and twice across the Caribbean Sea. I am talking Xeloda now and still figuring out how it will all work with the travel.

If it is my vacation I just get travel insurance. If it is for business they deal with the insurance.

You can travel without insurance. You are just risking that if something goes wrong you may lose a hotel deposit, or need to pay the change fee for the airline. Singapore is a place where if she has trouble you can go to the hospital and get help. My doctor and I only worry slightly if I am going to someplace where there isn't cell phone service or good medical care.

Please, if your Mom is feeling up to it, go on vacation!! Please!!!

yangtan

I have been taking lots of overseas vacations ever since the recurrence diagnosis. I am in great urgency to build memories with my family. When picking up travel insurance I always declare pre existing conditions, just in case something seriously wrong happens.

Singapore has excellent medical care for foreigners. general practitioners clinic is very affordable and is available in almost any corner of the island and most even runs 24 hour service.

Food is good and hygiene standard is high.

Message me if you want further information about singapore.

DivineMrsM

You can and should get travel insurance. Just be sure to get it as soon as you book the flight. Read up on line about different insurance, it is pretty easy to understand. Usually companies that refund money for any cancellation reason require that the insuarance is purchased at the time the trip is planned and not later.

And enjoy the trip. How nice to spend time like this with your mom. You are a good daughter.

sharmal

Thank you each and everyone here for your feedback. I am motivated by your words and surely will start planning travel. My mom will start first cycle chemo of this new medicine ( carboplatine n Navelbine ) in a week or so.

I will wait few days to see the impact of side effects of these drugs. 2 weeks back my mom was on 15 days of summer vacation with all the family members (husband, in laws, children and grand children). We had made good memories.

I can not claim whether I m a good son or not but I know my mother is a wonderful woman who has given all of us a beautiful lives with my father.

I will post here if I have any other query for the travel.

Stay blessed and enjoy cherish each moment.

Thank you!!

Beatmon

Hello, I'm 65 yes old with mets to lung. I'm resting in my room in Paris at this very minute....getting ready to board the Fast Train to take a wine river tour. My travel insurance is through Alliance. Hopefully your mom feels well enough to take a nice trip. My flight was 9 hours, but I was able to lie flat...trying to sleep.

Hopefully I will not need to use my travel insurance....and your Mom won't eithe

sharmal

Thank you so much. My mom is 62 years and she can beat any one from younger generation in excitement towards life. I am happy to know about your travel plan. Wish you a happy and full of excitement journey.

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DivineMrsM

Sharmal, oops, I had thought you were a daughter! And yes, you are a good, kind and considerate son to be active in your mom's life most especially at this time as she deals withh mbc.

Siegelinde

hi sharmal,

Maybe you have thought of these things, but perhaps these will help.

-a pillow or rolled up blanket dedicated to prop her feet onboard plane and a plastic bag to put the "dirty" item in when flight is over.

Bleach wipes so she can clean seat belt, movie:music onboard screen controls, food tray, etc. Glovesso that the wipes don't irritate sensitive skin of fingers.

A natural oil in a small size (airport screening compliant) such as jojoba, coconut or avocado. Eye drops.

Though it may be embarrassing, have her bring a mask or two. All of us who travel much have had the unfortunate experience of sitting by someone who continually coughs or sneezes and is obviously sick or allergic. It's a bad situation for anyone, but for a cancer patient it is even more significant. Use gloves or paper napkin barrier to open bathroom doors, etc

Yes, I am a healthcare provider and very germophobic. But I love to travel and stage IV hasn't stopped me either!

Well wishes you and your mother. Please make sure and tell us about her journey and visit, would love to hear about it! 💓

sybilskelton

Just a note about travel insurance. Before you shell out for that, check your credit card. Most of them have some kind of travel protection plan, and if you have a higher end card the benefits can be quite generous. In any event it's nice to know there is a backup for the travel insurance.

And you are a wonderful son, I hope you and your mother make epic memories for a lifetime.

sharmal

Thank you all for your support & concerns. My mom will undergo a minor surgery for PORT insertion. Later she will be on 3 cycle of Navelbine chemo. I have still few questions related to travel.

I have heard that Airline reserves their decision, if someone can fly or not. How true is that? Can they deny air travel to my mom being a metastatic cancer patient ??

My mom will have PORT inserted in her vein during Chemo cycle, will it create any trouble to opt for international Air travel in between??

Thanks & blessing to all.

Madelineg

You can get Travel insurance if you book it within 14 days of deposit. You should get an oncologist approval first. I recommend Travelguard.

exbrnxgrl

I've used Travelguard as well. They offer good coverage for those with pre-existing conditions. I have traveled with a port for years and have never had a problem. As for the airlines, I have never informed them that I am stage IV, but I have no special travel needs so it is not obvious.Best of luck to you and your mom and happy travels.

sharmal

Thanks exbrnxgrl. But did airline enquire about port ? I assume that in security scan, it is quite visible even if we don't inform them.

Beatmon

No one has ever said a word about my port in US or abroad. There is no reason to refuse her to fly unless she is unconscious or unable to follow safety instructions. Arrange for a wheelchair and it bumps you to the head of the line in security, boarding and customs and immigration! Just tip the person that wheels her chair and they will be extremely helpful

Tina2

Sharmal,

I imagine that airline security staff see dozens of ports a day. That said, here's what the American Society for Clinical Oncology states on its website about screening:

"If you have a port or catheter. You will need to tell the security officer about your port or catheter before screening begins and let them know where it is located. You may have to go through additional screening. If this involves a pat-down, be sure to tell the officer if touching the port or catheter could cause pain or a medical complication."

I hope this is reassuring and that you take your trip soon!

Tina

exbrnxgrl

Never had a problem with my port and never mentioned it to TSA or any airport security. I do care a card provided by Power Port in my wallet in case it becomes an issue

ChiSandy

The one caveat about traveling internationally with Stage IV is if you are traveling from a country with excellent national universal health care to one like the U.S. with a for-profit system. (Our Medicare will not cover foreign tourists because they didn’t pay into the fund during their working lives). We Yanks usually have no trouble buying travel medical insurance because almost any other country to which we fly will have cheaper and more accessible care—even for tourists—than we do here. Here’s an example. A fellow American passenger on the Rhine leg of our river cruise through Germany took a fall and then fainted the next morning. He was helicoptered off the ship and rejoined us at our next port by dinner time. His medical bill was all of 80 euros, inclusive. Had that happened on a Mississippi River cruise, he’d have been out of pocket at least 20 times as much.

There have been instances of UK Stage IV patients unable to buy a travel medical insurance policy for travel to the States, except at a one-time premium that exceeds by multiple factors the entire cost of their trip—or by crossing their fingers and hoping they won’t get sick or injured over here or if they do, they can be affordably airlifted home in time.

sharmal

Thank you everyone for your valuable inputs. I got all my doubts clear as of now.

More power to you all with best wishes.