Karenne Mosley, 70, a former registered nurse, has lived on Queensland’s Sunshine Coast for nearly 30 years. Sadly, she recently found herself navigating a diagnosis of stage IV aggressive uterine cancer. She got her first cancer diagnosis back in March. Doctors assured us it hadn’t spread, and in record time, they moved her into a high-priority surgical list. After a string of no shows and late calls, her health went south and she was diagnosed with inoperable cancer.
Mosley’s surgery was scheduled for April 23 at the Royal Brisbane and Women’s Hospital. But just one day before her procedure, the hospital canceled her surgery altogether, claiming that there was historically high demand for inpatient hospital beds. This cancellation was only the start of an ongoing string of medical woes for Mosley. On May 19, she had an emergency colonoscopy. But a follow-up scan on June 17 brought that devastating reality home: her tumor had doubled in size and was now inoperative.
A Series of Unfortunate Events
The first piece of good news that her cancer hadn’t spread at all gave Mosley something to latch on to. In early March, she finally got a referral for category one surgery. This surgery has the highest level of clinical urgency under Australia’s National Elective Surgery Categorisation guideline. Mosley’s emotional and physical suffering caused by not being able to get the surgery when it was due has been immense.
Her nightmare was far from over as she opened the door to her diagnosis and options of treatment. After being informed that her tumor was now inoperable, Mosley was given two choices: undergo chemotherapy to attempt to shrink the cancer or forgo treatment entirely. The chemotherapy team had told us that there was even less than a one in three chance that the treatment would work.
“It should have been one category one list. They shouldn’t have kept on moving me around to the next one and the next one,” – Karenne Mosley
After much deliberation, she decided against chemotherapy. She would rather have a good quality of life for a short time than live longer and suffer.
“The chemo people said it’s less than one-in-three chance [of] the chemo working,” – Karenne Mosley
Mosley was becoming more frustrated. Since June, she had received no contact or updates from the hospital or Metro North Health with regards to her condition or treatment options. She’s been on four different waiting lists since her initial presentation to the local GP in February. Through this ordeal, she has lost all faith in the healthcare system.
“I decided that I’d rather have quality of life than quantity of life, so I refused the chemo,” – Karenne Mosley
Lack of Communication and Support
Mosley is understandably mad that the intervention she needed — that might have changed her prognosis for the better — wasn’t provided in time.
Those delays turned what should have been a wait of less than three months into a near six-month wait, during which time her health deteriorated drastically.
“I was extremely angry at them for leaving [the cancer] for so long because initially it was operable. They let it grow,” – Karenne Mosley
Karenne Mosley’s on-ground experience as a public health practitioner uncovers more systemic flaws in Australia’s public health system. Her case is a perfect testimony of pressures that are crushing the healthcare system. As a result, the Australian Medical Association (AMA) says our healthcare system is under intense pressure.
“They might have seen me within 30 days for each list, but ultimately the whole time was something like 105 till they said it was inoperable,” – Karenne Mosley
Broader Implications for Healthcare
Danielle McMullen, a spokesperson for the AMA, said it is critical that we understand the human side of healthcare delivery.
In response Metro North Health released a statement in which they admitted that canceling Mosley’s surgery caused a significant amount of distress and apologized for it. They told me that the cancellation had been a result of an unprecedented need for hospital beds system-wide that day.
“There’s a person at the end of every episode of care,” – Danielle McMullen
Their spokesperson underscored their commitment to balancing the safety of the clinical environment with patient needs and preferences. They admitted that the staff does its best to provide appropriate treatment.
“We are truly sorry that your surgery was cancelled at such short notice, and we acknowledge the distress and inconvenience this may have caused you,” – Metro North Health spokesperson
“Every effort is made to ensure care is delivered in a way that balances clinical safety with patient preferences,” – Metro North Health spokesperson
Mosley’s case is a chilling reminder of the dangers all patients encounter, particularly as even necessary and urgent surgery becomes postponed.
Mosley’s situation is a poignant reminder of the challenges many patients face, especially when critical medical procedures are delayed.
