Brain cancer

At Cabrini we recognise that the diagnosis of brain cancer can place a significant financial burden on patients and their families. We have designed our programs to minimise the cost to our patients.

It can be difficult to determine the total out-of-pocket costs for an individual before treatment. It depends on your private health insurance policy and the type of medical tests and treatment you require.

Medicare will cover some of your outpatient and inpatient visits and your private health insurance will often cover many of the inpatient costs, including accommodation, tests and treatment. Every patient is different, so we recommend speaking to your doctors and health insurance provider about out of pocket costs. Please note: this is a guide only. For further details please contact your private health provider.

Victoria now offers four free programs for people experiencing financial hardship as the result of their cancer diagnosis: the Legal Referral Service, the Financial Planning Referral Service, the Workplace Advisory Service, and the Small Business Advice Service. These programs are delivered by industry professionals, who volunteer to help clients who cannot afford to pay for advice.

Cancer Council Victoria offers advice on how to navigate your finances when faced with a cancer diagnosis in its Cancer and Your Finances Guide. It also helps match clients with services that may be useful. At Cabrini we can also connect you with a social worker who can give you information about accessing superannuation and other financial information.

Maintaining a healthy diet and exercise when you are undergoing cancer treatment is proven to have profound benefits. Research shows that if you are active and eat well while you have medical treatment, it may improve your quality of life, reduce your risk of cancer recurrence, increase your chance of survival and extend your life.

However, it can be difficult to know what to eat and how much to exercise. That’s why Cabrini offers cancer patients advice on nutrition and exercise that is backed by science and tailored to individual circumstances. Our dietitians offer nutritional support during cancer treatment to help you with weight management and advise you on the correct meal choices.

We also have a team of exercise physiologists to support you with your exercise needs. The cancer experience can take a heavy physical and mental toll on patients, and exercise is a safe and effective way to counteract some of the side effects. The latest evidence suggests regular exercise before, during and/or following cancer treatment decreases the severity of adverse effects. It has also been linked to reduced risk of developing new cancers and conditions, such as cardiovascular disease, diabetes and osteoporosis.

Please ask your specialist for more information, or visit our Allied Health Centre page or call the centre on (03) 9508 1700 to book an appointment. The Cancer Oncology Society of Australia’s Position Statement on Exercise in Cancer Care is also a great source of information.