Breast cancer can take a toll that extends well beyond the physical, creating a substantial financial burden for patients as they battle their disease.
According to a new research report announced Thursday by the Canadian Breast Cancer Network survivor group, Canadians diagnosed with breast cancer often struggle with their bills as they take time off work to recover.
As well, they often experience unexpected hurdles when re-entering the workforce -- often much earlier than they would have wanted.
The findings are based on a 2009 online survey of 446 breast cancer survivors, conducted by polling firm Pollara. Of the respondents, 97 per cent were of working age: between the ages of 18 and 64 when they were diagnosed. Two per cent of those who responded were male.
The survey found that 80 per cent had experienced a financial impact following their diagnosis, often with long-term consequences for their families.
A full 44 per cent of respondents had drained their savings to pay their bills while they were in treatment and recovering. Another 27 per cent had to borrow money to cover treatment costs.
One respondent said her family was so far in debt, "I do not sleep at night and am paralyzed by fear that recurrence or metastases will make us bankrupt."
The report found that of the 81 per cent of respondents who were employed in salaried jobs at the time of diagnosis, 16 per cent had their jobs terminated while they were undergoing treatment.
Another 17 per cent were unable to return to their previous job with the same title and salary.
One woman responded: "I was ‘let go' because my boss was concerned I wouldn't have the strength to perform duties and that I might become ill on the job."
More than one-fifth reported returning to work before they were fully able, because of the financial pressure. One-fifth also said they were eventually forced to quit due to work-related restrictions, side effects from treatment, fatigue or pain.
Some survivors reported high expenses for drugs and other items that were not fully reimbursed by health insurance they had through their jobs.
While the costs of hospital-based services are covered by medicare, the medications cancer survivors take after they leave hospital, to stave off a recurrence, may or may not be covered by provincial plans.
One woman cited in the report said the drug she needed to bolster her white blood cell count during chemotherapy cost nearly $3,000 for each chemo round.
The Canadian Breast Cancer Network says the issue of how cancer patients cope financially is an overlooked problem and one that is not properly addressed by federal government policies. For example, they note that the average length of treatment for patients was 38 weeks, yet Employment Insurance benefits cover only 15 weeks, offering only 55 per cent of salary.
"Fifteen weeks of benefits barely gets you through your surgeries and maybe one or two chemo treatments," said one respondent who called the EI system "woefully inadequate."
Others found they were ineligible for any EI benefits, because they had not logged in enough hours before their diagnosis
The CBCN says it wants to see better employment insurance benefits for the 22,000 Canadians newly diagnosed with breast cancer every year and their caregivers, as well as full coverage of all needed drugs and medical equipment.
"A diagnosis of breast cancer should be the beginning of a healing journey, not a descent into poverty and despair," the report authors say.
