Hi everyone

Hi Joolz.

So sorry to hear of your diagnosis. A horrid situation compounded by the apparant lack of care from the medics. Sounds really tough and you have all my sympathy.

However, I know how you feel (well,  sort of). I too have kidney cancer (Stage 3). It was first spotted 18 months ago but I am only just (next week) seeing an oncologist. Things had really stalled and no one was telling me anything.

Out of frustration, I wrote a formal letter of complaint to my GP and hand delivered it to make sure they received it. I laid out the situation very clearly, (with dates!), asked what the Government targets were for treatment times, asked why I hadn't been referred to an oncologist by the GP, listed all the questions I had (to prove that I wanted help!), and asked if it were not the GPs role to address these questions, then who's was it.

I wasn't agressive in my tone: I deliberately kept it matter-of-fact.

But, I had decided that if I had no response from my GP within 2 weeks, I would write to my MP.

However the GP responded within a week. I had a very nice, sympathetic telephone call from the Doctor, who expressed his surprise that I wasn't getting any care and agreed something had gone wrong. He set up an appointment with a nephrologist, organised monthly blood tests for kidney function, arranged a CT scan, and got me appointment witth the oncologist.

I know it sounds a bit 'pushy' to write the letter, but it worked.

As a slight aside, I have a friend with Stage 4 cancer. His wife told me they have had to push for everything (even with Stage 4 cancer!). 'Do not sit back and wait for them' was her advice. I have to say, I now agree. The medics are very busy and the simple fact is that they are only human; files get missed, patients get overlooked, and you can be forgotten. Its nothng personal, it just the system doesn't always work.

So don't sit back and do nothng: the stakes are too high!

Good luck.