Can I get NDIS support to help me cope with my brain tumour?
You may be wondering if the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) can provide some financial support for you, or a family member, who is experiencing disabilities as a result of a brain tumour or from the side-effects of treatment for a brain tumour.
If you are experiencing any disabilities (for example vision impairment or mobility difficulties) as a result of your brain tumour and/or treatment for your brain tumour, you may be eligible to receive NDIS support from the National Disability Insurance Agency (NDIA). However, the application process can be very complex, and needs to be prepared carefully to ensure it meets the NDIS requirements in order to have any chance of being successful. This can be very challenging, especially if you are already at a crisis point.
The National Advocacy Service (NAS) provided by the Peace of Mind Foundation is a not-for-profit one-on-one service to help people with a brain tumour navigate the process of applying for NDIS support. If you are considering applying for NDIS support we recommend that you contact the NAS team directly.
From their experience with helping many people with a brain tumour successfully apply for and receive NDIS support, the NAS have a good feel for what specific words and phrases to include in your application, which boxes to tick, and common mistakes to avoid, to help ensure your application will be processed smoothly and successfully. They can also provide support to health care professionals about what sort of evidence and details needs to be provided when they prepare a supporting statement for your application.
The NDIS system has gone through a series of major changes in the last year. The Brain Tumours Online team are working with the Peace of Mind Foundation’s NAS team to put together an updated guide and resources to help with applying for NDIS, however in the meantime the best option is to contact the Peace of Mind Foundation’s National Advocacy Service and ask for their guidance directly.