Hi Kezza,

My cancer was stage 4 lung (with a 2ndary brain tumour) so my experience was different to yours, but might be of help anyway.

My initial diagnosis was on the NHS, they found the brain tumour and would have treated it with surgery inside a week. I had insurance so opted to arrange private treatment a few days later. The difference? Diagnosis by NHS was brilliant (I has a week of various scans) and treatment would have started a couple of days sooner. Going private meant a more pleasant experience and better communication from the team so less worry, otherwise no different.

After that I was on immunotherapy for the primary tumour. 6 years ago that would not have been an NHS option (it is now.) Because I was stable and controlling my side effects I was able to stay on immunotherapy for 5 years - the NHS stop it after just 2 years. The difference made by the extra 3 years was that there was near zero chance of any more cancer cells drifting around my system. One lung tumour developed that had not responded, but 5 years immunotherapy pulled me back from stage 4 to stage 1 so I had a lobectomy and am now cancer-free. Going private meant I had scans twice as often as NHS so they caught the extra tumour nice and early.

Bottom line: if I had stayed on NHS I probably wouldn't be writing this now.

Look - it's CANCER. You don't mess around with it, you hit it with everything you can. NHS is cost-constrained, private isn't. I hope all goes well for you and you have a good outcome.

kind regards
Steve

Thank you so much for responding Steve, I am glad you are now cancer free and I have now been in touch with my Insurance provider and I've set the ball in motion 

Kind Regards

Kerry

If you have insurance it’s worth exploring the private route.

Many NHS Cancer Centres have private wards on site, so you get the best of both Worlds and any profits support NHS services - win-win.

Good luck!

Dave 

Deffo private so quick 

I had breast cancer july 22 the speed and care I received was amazing xx

Hope you don't mind me asking, but at what stage in the NHS process of testing , biopsy etc did you ask to change to private? thank you x

This is a real eye opener ,I had no idea of the difference ,after this I would definitely consider private Insurance ,great uplifting post Steve .

Kezza 

how did you get on ? X 

Steve 

amazing news so happy for you 

Hi all 

Sorry for the silence, went for my appointment and they were amazing from start to finish, had a mammogram and ultrasound and luckily all was good.  Would definitely recommend going private if that is an option x