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Yes, PLEASE! go to the mainland. I looked on a map - since my geographical knowledge of your part of the world is limited - and you are VERY close to the mainland.
The specialists in Tasmania are probably few and overwhelmed and your treatment will be “expedited” - the quickest solution to get you in line and out the door to make room for the next patient.
Be your own best friend, get on a ferry or plane and go to a metro hub and at least get a consultation. If they agree with your doctor in Tasmania that his treatment plan is best for your situation, then you can do it in Tasmania if that works better for you.
This forum is filled with individuals who traveled many miles to get better care - and better lives - in the process!
Replies to "Yes, PLEASE! go to the mainland. I looked on a map - since my geographical knowledge..."
Very excellent advice. I'll look into who will see me in. Melbourne our second largest city. I also plan to ask some advice from an old family doctor who is now retired.
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I'll second that. Before I had cancer myself, I spent years as a volunteer pilot with Hope Air, flying mainly cancer patients from remote communities to big cities like Toronto, Ottawa, and Montreal for treatment.
In Canada and the U.S., there's a huge healthcare gulf between rural areas and small towns/cities on the one hand, and big cities with teaching/research hospitals on the other — it can quite literally be a question of life or death in some cases.
I suspect the same applies in Oz, so it would be well worth getting at least one consultation in a major Cancer Centre somewhere like Sydney or Melbourne if you're physically and financially able to make the trip. As @heavyphil wrote, even if that just confirms the diagnosis and treatment plan you got in Tasmania, at least you'll know you did due diligence.