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<\/p>\nLiving in a town called Rainbow certainly sounds magical, and for the Lester family it is all that and more.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s as good as the name makes it sound,\u201d said Emma Lester, a long-time resident of the North West Victorian town.<\/p>\n
But in July 2016 a little of the magic was lost for the Lester family when five-year-old Ava was diagnosed with Leukaemia. Faced with thousands of kilometres of constant travelling, Emma and her family could see it was best she and Ava move to Melbourne so Ava could receive regular specialist care from the Royal Children\u2019s Hospital.<\/p>\n
\u201cOur family has been completely divided,\u201d Emma said. \u201cMy husband stayed home with our youngest daughter and I\u2019m here with Ava.\u201d<\/p>\n
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When it came to finding a place to live, Emma said there wasn\u2019t any public or charitable housing available at the time, so the family had to rent an apartment.<\/p>\n
Obviously this solution was costly, at an already stressful and emotional time. However, through a social worker at the RCH, Emma and her husband found they were eligible for the Victorian Patient Transport Assistance Scheme (VPTAS).<\/p>\n
\u201cIt has significantly helped with our rent,\u201d Emma said. \u201cIt was a couple of months before I put the form in, so I\u2019d been paying rent for two or three months.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe amount I got back, I was very surprised at. It seemed like quite a nice amount to get back, which helped pay us another month or two rent, so it\u2019s been very good.\u201d<\/p>\n
Available to Victorian patients and their families who live more than 100km away from the RCH, VPTAS can help with accommodation and travel costs.<\/p>\n
Emma said applying was \u201cvery easy\u201d.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s just filling in some forms and sending them off,\u201d she said. \u201cIt\u2019s good to keep your little diary of all your travels and your receipts and everything because when you put your form in it does make a difference when you get a return on it.\u201d<\/p>\n
Once you have the form, you\u2019ll need your medical specialist to complete some sections of the form before you can submit the claim. But Emma\u2019s advice was to make the most of everything that was available.<\/p>\n
\u201cI think it\u2019s definitely wise \u2013 every little bit helps,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
As Ava\u2019s treatment moves into the next stage, she and Emma will be able to return to Rainbow. They plan to drive the 960km each month to get to and from the RCH to continue Ava\u2019s treatment, but for now, the prospect of heading home and getting the family back together is just the little bit of magic they need.<\/p>\n
VPTAS claim forms are available from the RCH\u2019s Family Hub, some clinic desks and Main Street Reception, or available online here<\/strong><\/a>.<\/p>\n VPTAS is available to Victorian residents only, however equivalent schemes are available in each state for interstate patients.<\/p>\n