31 Jan 2019

Cancer patient slams public health system

From Morning Report, 8:21 am on 31 January 2019
Blair Vining was diagnosed with bowel cancer late last October and will open a conference on cancer at Te Papa in Wellington today.

Blair Vining was diagnosed with bowel cancer late last October and will open a conference on cancer at Te Papa in Wellington today. Photo: Facebook/Blair Vining’s Epic Journey

A 38 year old terminally ill cancer patient will spell out to the Health Minister today what's wrong with Cancer treatment in the public health system and what has to change. Blair Vining has stage four bowel cancer and soon after his diagnosis was left waiting for 13 hours at Invercargill Hospital for a flight to Christchurch Hospital for emergency surgery. At a conference today led by the Cancer Society, Otago University, and the Ministry of Health Blair Vining will share his story.