A brain cancer diagnosis can change the way you think about travelling. A holiday you might once have booked without much thought can suddenly involve questions about treatment, medication, flying and whether you can get travel insurance that takes your diagnosis into account.
But having brain cancer does not necessarily mean putting your travel plans aside.
You may be thinking about getting away during treatment, planning a holiday after treatment has finished, recovering from surgery or living with brain cancer over the longer term.
Whatever your circumstances, travel can still give you something positive to plan for, whether that is time with family, returning somewhere you love or simply having a change of scene.
At Lighthouse Travel Insurance, we help people living with and recovering from cancer find cover that takes their individual medical circumstances into account.
We know that brain cancer can bring some very specific questions when you are planning a trip. Can you fly after brain surgery? What if you experience seizures? Can you travel during treatment? Do you still need to declare brain cancer if you are in remission?
There is not one answer that applies to everybody. Your diagnosis, treatment, current health and recovery all matter.
That is why we have brought together some of the practical things to think about before you travel.
Can you get travel insurance with brain cancer?
Travel insurance may be available if you are living with brain cancer, receiving treatment, have finished treatment or are in remission.
When you get a quote, you will complete a medical screening where we will ask questions about your diagnosis, treatment, medication and current health.
This helps us understand your individual circumstances and assess the cover available to you.
Someone recovering after brain cancer surgery may have very different circumstances from somebody receiving ongoing treatment or someone whose treatment finished some time ago.
The important thing is to answer the medical screening questions accurately so you can be confident that you have provided the information we need.
Understanding brain cancer and your travel insurance
People living with brain cancer can have very different medical circumstances.
You may be receiving treatment, recovering following brain tumour surgery, living with secondary brain cancer or attending regular appointments and monitoring after treatment.
Some people may also experience symptoms or effects of their condition or treatment that need to be considered when planning a journey.
For travel insurance, it is your individual circumstances that matter.
When you get a quote, we may ask about your diagnosis, the treatment you have received or are currently having, any medication you take and your ongoing care.
This helps us understand your health as it is today and assess the cover available to you.
You do not need to decide which parts of your medical history are relevant before you begin. Our medical screening process will guide you through the questions we need to ask.
Click here, to find out more about our travel insurance medical screening.
Travelling with brain cancer
Having brain cancer does not automatically mean that you cannot travel.
Whether a particular trip is suitable will depend on your health, treatment, recovery and advice from your healthcare team.
The important thing is to plan around your own circumstances rather than comparing yourself with somebody else who has had a similar diagnosis.
Before you travel
Speak to your healthcare team
If you are receiving treatment, have recently had surgery, are experiencing symptoms or have concerns about travelling, discuss your plans with your consultant, specialist nurse or another member of your healthcare team.
Tell them where you are planning to go, how long you will be away and how you intend to travel. They can advise whether your current health and treatment should affect your plans.
Plan around treatment and appointments
Make sure your holiday does not clash with treatment, scans, hospital appointments or follow-up care that your healthcare team considers important.
If you are currently receiving treatment, ask whether your treatment schedule or possible side effects should influence when you travel.
Do not delay, change or miss cancer treatment simply to fit around a holiday unless this has been agreed with your healthcare team.
Ask whether you are fit to fly
Flying can need additional consideration if you have brain cancer, particularly if you have recently had brain surgery or your medical team has concerns about your current health.
Speak to your healthcare team before booking if you are unsure whether flying is appropriate for you.
Your airline may also have its own medical requirements and could ask for additional information or confirmation that you are fit to fly in some circumstances.
Plan your medication
Take enough medication for the whole trip, with additional supplies where appropriate in case your return is delayed.
Keep essential medication in your hand luggage and follow any storage instructions you have been given.
Depending on what you take, you may also need a copy of your prescription, a letter from your healthcare team or other supporting documents.
Check the rules for taking your medicines into your destination before travelling.
More information on taking cancer medication abroad, can be found here.
Think about the journey as well as the destination
The flight or journey is only one part of travelling.
Think about airport queues, transfers, long travel days and how busy you want your holiday to be once you arrive.
If your health or treatment affects how much you feel able to do, building flexibility into your plans can make the trip easier to manage.
During your holiday
Once you are away, try to travel at a pace that works for how you are feeling.
You may find it useful to:
- Keep essential medication with you.
- Store medication according to its instructions.
- Keep useful medical information accessible.
- Know where you could obtain medical assistance locally.
- Keep your insurer’s Emergency Medical Assistance details somewhere easy to find.
- Follow any specific advice your healthcare team has given you.
- Leave some flexibility in your plans in case your health or energy levels change.
The aim is not to make your diagnosis the focus of the holiday. Taking care of some of the practical things before you go can simply leave you with less to think about once you are away.
Flying with brain cancer
Whether you can fly with brain cancer will depend on your individual medical circumstances.
Your healthcare team may need to consider your diagnosis, current treatment, symptoms, recent surgery and recovery before advising whether flying is suitable for you.
Do not try to make this assessment yourself.
If you have brain cancer and are planning to fly, particularly if you are currently receiving treatment or have concerns about your symptoms, ask your healthcare team for advice before booking.
Your airline may also have its own requirements.
Flying after brain tumour surgery
There is no single waiting period after brain surgery that will be suitable for everybody.
The operation you have had, how well you are recovering and whether there have been any complications can all affect when flying is appropriate.
Changes in aircraft cabin pressure can also be important following some types of surgery.
If you have recently had brain surgery, speak to your surgical or cancer team about when they believe it is safe for you to fly.
Do not rely on a general number of days or weeks that you have found online.
Your airline may also ask for medical information or confirmation that you are fit to fly.
Travelling during brain cancer treatment
Some people may be able to travel while receiving treatment for brain cancer, but this will depend on the treatment they are having, how it is affecting them and their current health.
If you are considering a holiday during treatment, discuss it with your healthcare team before booking.
They can help you think about:
- Your treatment dates.
- Hospital appointments or monitoring.
- Possible side effects.
- Your current health.
- Whether flying or a long journey is appropriate.
- What you should do if your health changes while you are away.
Do not rearrange or miss treatment to make a holiday possible unless your healthcare team has agreed that it is appropriate.
Your travel insurance also needs to take your current treatment and medical circumstances into account, so answer the medical screening questions accurately when getting your quote.
Travelling after brain cancer treatment
Finishing treatment can make a holiday feel like something important to look forward to.
Recovery is different for everybody, and there is no single waiting period after cancer treatment that applies to everyone.
If treatment has recently finished, speak to your healthcare team about whether you are medically ready for the trip you are planning, particularly if you have had surgery or still experience treatment effects.
When arranging your travel insurance, you may still need to tell us about your previous diagnosis, treatment, medication and follow-up care when asked during medical screening. Visit our page on Travel Insurance After Cancer Treatment.
Brain cancer, seizures and travelling
Some people affected by brain cancer may also have questions about travelling if they experience seizures or take medication to manage them.
Whether travelling or flying is suitable for you will depend on your individual medical circumstances.
Speak to your healthcare team about your travel plans and follow the advice they give you about your condition and medication.
When arranging your travel insurance, answer the medical screening questions accurately and tell us about your diagnosis, treatment, medication and current health when asked.
If you take medication, make sure you have enough for your trip and check the rules for travelling with it before you leave.
What happens if your health or treatment changes?
Your health can change between buying your travel insurance and travelling.
If you:
- Receive a new diagnosis.
- Begin new investigations or treatment.
- Have a change to your treatment.
- Are prescribed new medication.
- Experience a change in an existing medical condition.
Contact Lighthouse before you travel so we can review your policy.
Do not assume that your existing policy will automatically cover the change.
Depending on your circumstances, a change in your health may affect your policy, so it is important to let us know.
Why Choose Lighthouse Travel Insurance?
Our policies can offer:
- Up to £10 million emergency medical expenses.
- Up to £10,000 cancellation cover, based on the trip cost per person declared.
- Up to £5,000 cover for your personal belongings, depending on the policy selected.
- 24/7 access to an Emergency Medical Assistance team.
- Cover for UK, European and Worldwide trips, provided you are not travelling against the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office’s (FCDO) travel advice.
- Access to Air Doctor Connect is available on numerous policies, allowing you to connect with over 20,000 doctors in 78 countries. Where non-urgent outpatient treatment is provided through Air Doctor Connect, your policy excess is waived, and you may claim back the cost of prescribed medication when you return home.
Please Note: Any amounts listed above are per insured person on the policy. Cover limits, benefits and exclusions vary between policies. Full details can be found in your policy wording, available in your Customer Area
