Steve Johnson
Whilst moving house in late January, I noticed a dry cough coming on, discounting it as sensitivity to dust while cleaning, I paid no attention. By the first week of February, I was in a worse state, coughing regularly and it was now interrupting my days.
My wife Niomi urged me to go to the Doctor but I put it off until after the weekend. After a couple of days off work, I was back at the Doctor again, following my wife’s concern. That afternoon, we were being flown out to Perth with at that stage, multiple undiagnosed masses in my chest.
In the quick rush to grab some clothes and pack, I watched as my wife began to take on the gravity of the situation – she has always been adept at coping with our transient lifestyle, regularly moving around Australia – but I couldn’t talk to her or help comfort her in what was unfolding. A great friend arrived to help us get to the airport and on a plane to Perth, assisting us in finding what little accommodation was available in Perth for a couple of days.
After arriving at Perth, the pressure on our family escalated while I underwent numerous tests leading up to surgery to remove multiple lymph nodes. As I lay there and waited pre-surgery, holding Niomi’s hand and trying to keep our two young boys positive, I could see she was starting to struggle with the situation. I remembered reading Miners’ Promise newsletters about how another Miners’ Promise member who was injured out of work, had been supported in his time of need, so I asked Niomi to call them and see if they could help us.
Within 15 minutes, Niomi received a call back. Miners’ Promise was able to assist my family. The support from the entire team to my family was fantastic! I was also relieved to see how quickly they responded. We were so grateful. Thank you so much for being there when we needed this help. The care didn’t even stop there as we have since received follow-up communication, checking on my recovery.
Thank you Miners Promise.
