Leukaemia teen rejected by Centrelink because they don’t think she is sick enough

A 17-year-old girl with Leukaemia has been rejected by Centrelink because they don’t think she is sick enough.

Maddison Delaney said she has applied for a government Health Care Card ‘multiple times’ in order to get cheaper medication, however she has been rejected every time. 

The young Sydney teenager wrote an online petition saying while she had finished her ‘intensive treatment’ since being diagnosed in 2016, she still needed to undergo ‘oral chemotherapy and use ‘antibiotics’.

Maddison Delaney, a 17-year-old girl (pictured) with Leukaemia has been rejected by Centrelink because they don’t think she is sick enough for the benefits of a Health Care card

The young Sydney teenager wrote an online petition saying while she had finished her 'intensive treatment' since being diagnosed in 2016, she still needed to undergo 'oral chemotherapy and use 'antibiotics'

The young Sydney teenager wrote an online petition saying while she had finished her ‘intensive treatment’ since being diagnosed in 2016, she still needed to undergo ‘oral chemotherapy and use ‘antibiotics’

'To get this card, you have to be eligible for a benefit scheme, yet time after time we have been denied,' the 17-year-old wrote 

‘To get this card, you have to be eligible for a benefit scheme, yet time after time we have been denied,’ the 17-year-old wrote 

‘My family and I since I was first diagnosed have tried multiple times to get a Centrelink Health Care card, which would mean that my medication would be cheaper,’ Ms Delaney wrote.

‘To get this card, you have to be eligible for a benefit scheme, yet time after time we have been denied.

‘We do not want any money. We just want the card so it cheapens my medication.’

The young teenager said Centrelink had refused to give her a Health Care card because she was ‘over the age of 16 and under 18 at diagnosis’ and did not have a ‘terminal illness’.

Ms Delaney, who was diagnosed with the blood cancer at 16, said her doctors and oncologists have all written referral letters but the government continued to reject her request. 

‘When we are on the phone to Centrelink, the workers are amazing,’ she said. 

‘We have gotten to the point where we have decided to just pay the excess amount instead of spending hours on the phone only to get another excuse.’

Since creating the petition seven days ago, it has received more than 26,000 signatures of support – with less than 10,000 to go until it reaches the goal.

The young teenager said Centrelink had refused to give her a Health Care card because she was 'over the age of 16 and under 18 at diagnosis' and did not have a 'terminal illness' 

The young teenager said Centrelink had refused to give her a Health Care card because she was ‘over the age of 16 and under 18 at diagnosis’ and did not have a ‘terminal illness’ 

The teenager said she wants it to be easier for cancer patients to gain benefits from Centrelink. 

Ms Delaney’s medication was covered by the Medicare during the time she was in hospital but after becoming an outpatient, her family had to pay for ‘maintenance’ chemotherapy treatment, 9 News reported.

‘It’s not too expensive but it adds up. I think we are lucky because dad has a business and we are pretty financially stable but some parents, like my mum did, quit their jobs where their children are so sick,’ she said. 

‘The campaign isn’t just for me, it’s for people who have been struggling overall with it.’ 

Daily Mail Australia has contacted Centrelink for comment.  



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