Kirk Le Roux, 43, from Blenheim went to Wairau Hospital’s Emergency Department last week on his GP’s advice for a painful lump above his collarbone.
But the dad of two, who is normally fit and well, says he was told to go home without any tests being done. “He told me there were no red flags,” Kirk says.
“He [the house surgeon] said there was nothing abnormal and I disagreed- I had a lump that was getting bigger by the day and was tender.
“I knew something was wrong. I’ve been tired and lacking energy too.”
His discharge notes confirm the doctor had no concerns and that blood tests done six weeks earlier had “been reviewed.”
The probable cancer was picked up on an ultrasound that Kirk paid for privately. Otherwise, he faced waiting up to a month to be seen.
“There was a three-to-four-week backlog, so I went privately which cost me $280.
“Too often our health system is letting us down with either not enough staff or staff who haven’t been trained to a high standard.
“I have a question for the health service, when doctors and nurses arrive from offshore, are their qualifications of the high standards as NZ staff or just accepted?”
Kirk discovered the mass just two weeks ago. He tried to get into see his GP, but with no appointments available, was advised to go to ED if it got worse.
His concerns were quickly dismissed he says, and he was told to see his own doctor.
‘I pushed for answers and offered to come back after 8am if that helped so I could be given a scan, but he just didn’t want to know.
“He couldn’t have been less interested.”
Kirk says he manged get a cancellation appointment later that same day with a GP at Omaka Medical Centre in Blenheim.
He was immediately referred for an urgent ultrasound which discovered the tumour and is awaiting prognosis, further treatment and for the mass to be removed.
“I saw my doctor on Wednesday morning, and initially he seemed a bit troubled trying to tell me what had been found. He said it could be a vascular mass but was more likely to be sarcoma.”
The news only sank in when he was watching his 9-year-old daughter in a cross-country race later that day, he says.
“Initially, I felt nothing, I’m a pretty strong individual, but fetching my kids and seeing my daughter, reality hit.
“I started to think about what would have happened if I wasn’t so proactive, would they be growing up without their father?”
The factory manager says he is determined to get on with treatment and do “whatever it takes,” to stay well.
“There’s no reason to cry over spilt milk, but I’d hate anyone else to go through this.
“I’m trying not to think about what it could be as it could be nothing, but either way, the health service needs to step up.”
Kirk also adds his thanks to Nastassja Le Roux for her support and continuous help with trying to speed things up.
Te Whatu Ora have been contacted for comment and will respond when they can.
- Blenheim Sun
