Travel advice
Holidays are important when you have cancer and many lung cancer patients enjoy travelling and take regular holidays. One of our members who is a GP offers the following advice:
‘Travelling with any illness takes a little more organisation and being well prepared should minimize stress and problems when away.
‘Firstly, good travel insurance is VITAL – because there is a higher risk of being unwell with a complication of cancer, such as DVT, embolism, unexpected progression or serious infection. But equally, you could trip over and break your wrist! This is why specialist insurers are recommended as cancer complications are likely to need more complex treatment and hospital stays.
‘Do check with your oncology team that you are fit to travel in the first place. A letter from your oncologist is very helpful. If you have had lung surgery or underlying chronic lung conditions, flying can be problematic due to the risk of low oxygen levels when flying at altitude. Of course, you can still travel by car, train, or boat if this is the case. If anything were to happen and you were travelling against medical advice, any insurance would be invalid.
‘In Europe (pre-Brexit) always take an EHIC card as this will cover basic health costs if you need hospital treatment - although you may be expected to pay some costs abroad which can be claimed back later. Repatriation is not covered by EHIC and is very complicated and expensive - hence the importance of insurance. Travelling to the US is more expensive in terms of insurance and insurance companies may also charge more for travel to Spain where there are fewer public hospitals and more private hospitals.
‘Your GP can provide a copy of your up to date medical records, statement of facts about diagnosis and letters/scan results to take with you if necessary. However, your GP is not insured or indemnified to say that you are ‘fit to fly’ unless they are a specialist aviation trained GP. A consultant’s letter can be helpful as an alternative. An up to date printed repeat prescription is important if you need to justify medication at customs. You will also need a letter to confirm injectable medication and sharps equipment or controlled drugs like morphine. Your GP can provide this but it is not an NHS service so you may be charged a small amount for a letter.
‘Some countries, particularly in the Middle East, have very strict rules on controlled drugs and it is worth checking before travel if this could be an issue (the Foreign Office website has links).
‘It is advisable to take enough medication to cover the holiday plus extra medication to cover loss or delays. It is also best to keep most of your medication in your hand luggage. If you are prone to infections it may also be a good idea to ask about a ‘just in case’ prescription from your GP or oncologist.
‘Vaccines can be a problem if you are having a treatment which means you are immunocompromised - you may still be vulnerable despite having valid vaccines. Some vaccines are not allowed for immunocompromised patients - live vaccines such as yellow fever, shingles and MMR. If travel to an area with a risk of yellow fever is unavoidable, specialist travel immunization advice is vital.’
Travel Insurance
Travel insurance can be expensive when you have lung cancer. The following insurance companies specialise in insuring people with cancer and other medical conditions - often for very reasonable rates compared to general insurance companies.
The majority have been used and recommended by EFGR Positive UK members. It is often better to phone for a quote rather than do an online form - some of the online questions are not able to represent how well you can be with targeted therapy.
It is worth remembering that if you need to cancel a holiday or have treatment abroad which delays your return, you will be covered by a specialist insurance policy, but your family will not be. Most normal insurance policies do not cover delays or cancellations which are the result of a family member with a pre-existing condition. It may be worth asking about a family policy as well as individual cover.
Insurancewith
www.insurancewith.com
Boots Travel Insurance
www.bootstravelinsurance.com
Freedom Travel Insurance
www.freedominsure.co.uk
AllClear Travel Insurance
www.allcleartravel.co.uk
Saga 50+ Travel Insurance
www.saga.co.uk