Despite huge life “curve ball” return to work possible

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Rachel had never bothered to use the bowel screening kit that had been supplied by the government. The 59-year-old food technologist who developed ‘‘secret sauces’’ for a food manufacturing company led a healthy lifestyle and didn’t smoke. She often said she was ‘‘quite active for an old girl”

Rachel’s daughter Shelley was in her second year of medical school, and after some serious discussion Rachel finally agreed to use the bowel screening kit, and with some humour sent off her sample. Just a fortnight later, she received a call from her GP’s office requesting that she make an appointment.  Unfortunately the news was not good - the screening had picked up an abnormal test.

Rachel underwent urgent investigations, which were paid for by her medical insurance. These confirmed the presence of a tumour in her large bowel.  After the removal of part of her large bowel, she had a colostomy bag fitted and underwent a course of chemotherapy and radiation. Months later, she was given the all clear and the colostomy bag was removed. Life then returned to normal. Or did it?

While Rachel was given the all clear to return to work, one of the side effects of the colostomy bag reversal was that toilet stops were frequent, and occurred with little warning. This of course meant that her 30 kilometre trip each way to work often required a number of “toilet stops” on the way. And so she had to plan the trips around traffic, and locations of toilets. This was extremely stressful.

Fortunately Rachel had a full range of insurance covers - Life Insurance, Trauma Cover, Income Protection Cover, Mortgage Protection, and Medical Insurance.  Medical Insurance paid for her diagnostics and surgery. Trauma Insurance paid out a lump sum on the diagnosis of cancer, which Rachel used to have her sister move in to help while she was going through treatment and recovery. And Income Protection and Mortgage Protection Covers kicked in for the nine months that she was unable to work.

Due to the stress involved in getting to and from work, it was eventually agreed that the best thing was for Rachel to reduce her work hours. Rachel loved her job, and being one of only a few highly qualified and skilled food technologists in New Zealand, her employer wanted to retain her expertise and help her out. The number of hours she was medically assessed as being able to work meant that she was eligible for Income Protection and Mortgage Repayment Covers. She continues to work part time, and received payments from those two covers until she turned 65.

Rachel’s daughter Shelley is now a qualified doctor, and wants to specialise in research around bowel cancer. She acknowledges that without Rachel’s insurance payments she would not have been able to finish medical school.

 

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Jenny Fromén - Managing Director
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