RUSSELL KING
HEALTH
Son of a third-generation police officer
Police Health were lifesavers MY FAMILY’S HISTORY IN the police community dates to the early 1900s.
Everything with Police Health is so easy. There are no hour-long wait times to speak with a representative. Everyone is responsive and genuinely cares. It feels like a small family practice, not a large corporate fund.
66 POLICE NEWS DECEMBER 2021
My great grandfather, ‘Willie’ Hubert King, trained cadets for the mounted police. My grandfather, Ken, and father, Chris, followed him. While I didn’t join the force, they imparted one important lesson: never leave Police Health; you’ll regret it if you do. At just 34 years old, only three months after we’d welcomed our second daughter, doctors diagnosed my wife with stage IV breast cancer. She’d found a lump that hadn’t cleared up, so she booked a check-up. That afternoon, she had an ultrasound and biopsy, receiving her diagnosis the next day. By the end of that week, she’d had CT, MRI and bone scans, a second biopsy and a double mastectomy. Medical specialists performed all the procedures my wife needed within a few days. Stage IV meant every minute mattered, and I doubt she’d be alive today if she’d had to wait a couple of months. Police Health covered everything. There were no out-of-pocket costs for my wife’s treatment. There are no words to express how much we appreciate it. Because we were young, we’d an air of confidence we wouldn’t need Police Health. The thought had crossed my mind we might be able to find coverage at half the price since we were fit and healthy. Essentially, I became the sole carer for our three-month-old girl overnight. I was also looking after our older daughter and being there for my wife as she faced her Stage IV prognosis. Both of us weren’t working, and I didn’t have any extra energy to handle the financial side of our lives. I don’t know how people without top-level health insurance deal with that.
Six years on, my wife continues to receive chemo-based infusions every three weeks because her body’s response to the drugs has plateaued. A recent tumour grew on a nerve and affected her vocal cords. Because she’s a lecturer, now she can only work one or two days a week. Thanks to Police Health, we’re not managing a second crisis – a financial one. Our Police Health policy gives us the peace of mind to focus on not only my wife but also our kids. She’s been able to build a trusting relationship with the oncologist of her choice, whom she sees regularly, and I can take our kids to dentists and physiotherapists without compromising or putting up with pain. There’s a big difference between being 40 and 25. If you’re unsure about the value of being with Police Health or, like me, haven’t served in the force, take it from me – you’ll be glad you stayed. I wasn’t thinking about major health issues when I was 25. I was saving for a house and travelling the world. But sticking with Police Health is the smartest decision I’ve made for my family’s health and finances. Everything with Police Health is so easy. There are no hour-long wait times to speak with a representative. Everyone is responsive and genuinely cares. It feels like a small family practice, not a large corporate fund. While I didn’t choose to become an officer, I’ve been looked after as if I had.
My family went through the photo albums recently and found this.
That’s my grandfather, Ken King (far left), doing a caper. I doubt work health and safety laws would allow you to do this today! Interestingly, in the early days, all officers would donate one day of sick leave each year. It’d go into a pool you could access if you became seriously unwell. Our family found a condolence letter from the Commissioner of Police granting my grandfather access to sick leave pay during his cancer battle. What my grandmother went through resonates with me. To anyone who’s going through a dark period, just get through one day at a time. There’s no point worrying about worst-case scenarios. Please don’t suffer twice. Get up, live your life and do everything you can to stay grounded in the day. You’ll realise the things that used to occupy your mind don’t matter. Happiness lies in small things. It’s a sentiment from which we can all benefit.
To join more than 65,000 other members of Australia’s police community already enjoying the peace of mind that comes with Police Health’s gold-tier insurance, call 1800 603 603 or visit policehealth.com.au.
