Maria Fotia knows the value of every minute of her day.
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While at university, the Cobram local was diagnosed with renal disease.
Years later, she can’t go more than two days without dialysis treatment.
And should Maria miss an appointment, the stakes are as high as the facts are deadly in their simplicity.
Without dialysis, waste fluid builds up in her body.
Her chances of survival would plummet.
So, three times a week, Maria travels to Yarrawonga Health to access the dialysis she needs to survive.
But the journey there and back is taking a toll on Maria’s physical and mental health.
“When you’re living with a chronic illness, every minute of the day is precious,” she said.
“This hour of travelling is such a waste of time.”
She said dialysis - and having to travel beyond Cobram to access it - is a gruelling burden.
“It robs you of your life,” she said.
“It’s a lonely journey. That probably sums it up.”
As soon as she returns home from treatment, her carers put a hot pack on her back to ease the impact of the journey.
“By the time I get home, I’ve got a splitting headache, my back is killing me,” Maria said.
“You spend three days attached to a machine. You’ve got to travel an hour round travel, in a very uncomfortable van, and this has been happening for 13 years.
“There’s no remission.
“You feel like you’re on your own, and there’s no support.”
But Maria’s troubles don’t end there.
Since Ambulance Victoria tightened criteria on who can access non-emergency patient transport in September last year, Maria has paid about $400 each week in out-of-pocket taxi fares.
That’s even with a 50 per cent subsidy from her taxi card.
When AV announced its changes, Yarrawonga Health agreed to cover the cost of transport for Cobram’s dialysis patients.
That was so long as Maria and two other patients travelled in the same vehicle, at the same time, and on the same day.
But to receive her treatment, Maria would have had to leave home after 11am. She wouldn’t have returned home until after at least 7pm that evening.
“I wouldn’t be able to do it physically and mentally. I would if I could, but I just can’t,” Maria said.
Alongside chronic kidney failure, Maria also needs a constant supply of oxygen for end-stage lung failure.
Bedridden for most of the days she’s not receiving dialysis, Maria needs a wheelchair to move around.
So Maria decided to organise her own transport to treatment - even if it meant covering the fare herself.
As a result, she’s dipping dangerously into her disability support pension.
She said there were already nurses trained in dialysis who live in Cobram - Barooga, but who currently travel to work in Yarrawonga.
“We’ve got the dialysis nurses there, ready to go,” she said.
In a statement, NCN Health CEO Mark Ashcroft said the organisation supports the concept of a dialysis service to the region.
“However, no funding has been committed to a dialysis unit at this stage,” Mr Ashcroft said.
“We continually engage with the community to better understand their healthcare needs, and we work closely with the Department of Health to plan the health services that we offer.
“Planning for new health services is complex and involves several factors including population, community needs, clinical capability and capacity, proximity to other services, and overall demand.
“NCN Health continues to work with the Department of Health to ensure the community’s needs are met.”
Maria said the need to travel outside Cobram is also taking a toll on spouses and family members who take their loved one to treatment.
“Some of them have to travel half an hour, take their patient in, then come back a few hours later,” she said.
A Victorian government spokesperson said any decisions to introduce new treatments or services are not made by politicians, but are decisions for individual health services and the Department of Health and are based on clinical needs.
“The Department of Health continually engages with the community to better understand local health needs and the services that are required to meet these needs,” the spokesperson said.
“Our general practices in Cobram and Nathalia are continuing to provide vital support for renal patients, including acting as a critical early link to specialist care if required.”
Meanwhile, back in her Cobram home, Maria can only watch as her taxi fares to Yarrawonga chew into her bank account.
She said she feels like the health authorities and the government haven’t listened to people like her.
She urged the government to realise how important a dialysis service is for the Cobram community.
“We need a dialysis room urgently,” she said.
“We needed it yesterday. It’s not a maybe, it’s not a ‘let’s look into it’.
“It’s desperately needed.”
Cadet journalist