A Wellington man diagnosed with prostate cancer was forced to take a reverse mortgage out on his house before he was even diagnosed due to COVID-induced delays within the public health system.
It was July 5, 2021 when Ewen Ritchie went to see a doctor for an examination which revealed his prostate-specific antigen was higher than it had been before.
Ritchie's doctor referred him to Wellington Regional Hospital to undergo an MRI scan, and by October 26 Ritchie had the scan and was awaiting his results.
"So then I heard nothing and I kind of assumed that must mean it was a false alarm, everything's okay. I kind of just put it aside."
But seven weeks later, on December 13, Ritchie was called in for a meeting with a urology specialist and told they'd found a lump.
"I was quite shocked about that given the delay between the two [hospital visits]."
The next step for Ritchie was to undertake a biopsy to determine what the lump on his prostate was. But a couple of weeks later he was advised the biopsy was scheduled for May, meaning he'd have to wait nearly five months.
"That was really the major problem, knowing that early detection and all that is important," he said.
Ritchie's son, who Newshub agreed not to name, says a five-month window between identifying a lump and undergoing a biopsy just isn't good enough.
"We're reading cases in the media around cancer patients that haven't acted on things quickly and then have that actually kill them."
Ritchie didn't want to wait five months without knowing if he had cancer or not, so sought help through a private doctor.
"He saw me in January and I had to pay $7500 for a biopsy to be done at Southern Cross Hospital."
That's money Ritchie doesn't have, and he had to apply for a reverse mortgage just so he could fund it. But it was just as well he did, as his biopsy confirmed the lump on his prostate was indeed cancer.
"God knows what would have been the result had I just left the appointment to May and then gone in and seen them then."
But Ritchie told Newshub it isn't just the delays in the public health system making it difficult for prostate cancer patients, it's the lack of treatment options too.
He explains that the public health system doesn't do PSMA pet scans, which detect with greater accuracy how far the cancer has spread.
Getting that scan done privately will set him back another $2300, and he is currently considering a procedure where golden specks are inserted around the periphery of his prostrate, creating a target for radiation treatment, that could cost him a further $8000.
Should he get all the treatments, he would've spent $17,800 on private medical care before the cancer had even been operated on or removed.
He urges the New Zealand health system to take prostate cancer seriously so other men don't have the same experiences he's had.
"They need to treat men a bit more seriously, because it's the biggest killer of men in New Zealand," Ritchie said.
"I want to see my son's daughter get through to leaving school - that would be wonderful. [Seeing her] getting married would be even better."
The Ministry of Health told Newshub that due to privacy reasons it couldn't comment on a specific case, however it gave a general statement.
"Any delay to cancer diagnosis or treatment can be distressing. All New Zealanders should expect high-quality cancer treatment, whether they are receiving that treatment in a public or private facility."
It added if Ritchie isn't satisfied with his treatment he can lodge a complaint to the local district health board or to the Health and Disability Commission.
Ritchie says the Ministry of Health's statement is "PR spin".
"They've given a bland business statement without recognising the specifics of the situation."
The Ministry of Health couldn't yet say whether COVID-19 has affected cancer treatment.
"The [Cancer Control] Agency is also monitoring the impact of the current COVID-19 outbreak on cancer treatment and diagnostics. Its most recent reporting will be released soon."
