When It’s Not “Probably Nothing”

At 42, she didn’t think breast cancer was something she needed to worry about.

There was a lump.

But it was probably hormonal. Probably nothing. Probably just one of those things.

Six weeks later, it was still there.

An ultrasound led to a mammogram. A mammogram led to a surgeon’s appointment she didn’t realise would deliver results. Sitting alone in that room, she heard the words no one expects to hear at 42.

It is breast cancer.

Within a month of diagnosis, she had a mastectomy and reconstruction surgery. There were biopsies. Lymph node testing. Genetic testing. A specialised recurrence test. Oncology appointments. A treatment plan that shifted as more information came in.

Chemotherapy followed when her recurrence score came back high risk. Four and a half months of treatment. Hair loss. Fatigue. Weeks that felt manageable and weeks that didn’t. Because she was hormone positive, she is now on five years of hormone therapy, including monthly injections that have put her into menopause at 42. There are ongoing six monthly bone treatments to protect her body long term.

It was not one surgery and done. It has been layers of treatment, decisions and recovery that continue well beyond the initial diagnosis.

Eight weeks before she was diagnosed, she had put private health cover in place.

It wasn’t rushed. She had spent months thinking about it, asking questions, weighing up options and making sure she understood exactly what she was choosing. The timing was coincidence. The planning was not.

When her GP asked if she had insurance, she could say yes. That meant immediate access to a leading breast clinic, surgery within weeks, private hospital care, specialist oncology treatment, chemotherapy in a private facility and expensive diagnostic testing covered.

Since August 2024 she has been consistently claiming for treatment and follow up care which has total to (so far) $128,000.

What she also speaks about is the support around the process. When she wasn’t in the headspace to deal with paperwork or insurers, Rochelle was checking in, calling the insurer, making sure approvals were progressing and that nothing stalled. Not in an overbearing way. Just quietly in the background, ensuring things moved as they should. In moments like this, having someone in your corner who understands the system makes a difference.

Aside from her policy excess, some early prescriptions and elective genetic testing, everything else has been covered. When you are navigating surgery, chemo brain and forced menopause, not having to argue over invoices matters more than most people realise.

We had also put Trauma Cover in place. However, trauma policies have a three month stand down period for cancer claims and her diagnosis fell inside that window. Her only regret is that she did not put that in place sooner. Access to a lump sum at the same time would have relieved additional financial pressure while she reduced her work hours through treatment.

Insurance does not work if it is not already in place.

She continued working two days a week through most of chemotherapy because it helped her mentally. Seeing people. Holding on to normality. She has since returned to contract work, exploring passions that resurfaced during this season. Her energy is returning. Her reconstruction is complete. Her hair has grown back. There is strength in her voice when she talks about it now, but also realism. Treatment does not end when chemo ends. There are years of follow up still ahead.

Her message to other women is simple. Breast cancer does not only happen in your seventies. It can happen in your thirties and forties. Family history is not always present. Symptoms are not always obvious. If you feel something, get it checked. Start mammograms from 40. Do not assume it is nothing.

Insurance did not prevent her diagnosis. It did not make chemotherapy easy. It did not remove the emotional weight of fertility conversations or early menopause.

What it did was remove layers of stress when life was already heavy. It gave her speed, options and support at every stage. It also meant R&P were there advocating for her behind the scenes, staying close to the claim and ensuring the system worked the way it should while she focused on getting better.

Planning does not stop hard things from happening. But when they do, it changes how supported you feel while you move through them.

If you have been meaning to put cover in place, consider this your reminder. Not out of fear. Out of preparation.