A blood cancer diagnosis can change the way you think about travelling. A holiday you once would have booked without much thought may now come with questions about treatment, medication, infection risk and, of course, whether you can get travel insurance.
But having blood cancer does not necessarily mean putting your travel plans aside.
Whether you are hoping to get away during treatment, planning your first holiday after treatment has finished, or have been living with or beyond blood cancer for some time, travelling can be an important part of enjoying the things that matter to you.
At Lighthouse Travel Insurance, we help people living with and recovering from cancer find cover that takes their medical circumstances into account.
Blood cancer is a term used for many different types of cancer affecting the blood, bone marrow or lymphatic system. These include leukaemia, lymphoma and myeloma, as well as myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS) and myeloproliferative neoplasms (MPN). Different blood cancers can affect people in very different ways, so your diagnosis, treatment and current health all matter when you are planning a trip.
We know that travelling with or after blood cancer can bring up questions you may never have needed to consider before. Can you travel during treatment? Is it safe to fly? What happens if your immune system is weakened? Can you take your medication abroad? Do you still need to declare blood cancer if you are in remission?
That is why we have brought together some of the questions and practical considerations that may help you prepare for your trip with greater confidence.
Can you get travel insurance with Blood Cancer?
In many cases, you may be able to get travel insurance if you are living with blood cancer, receiving treatment, have finished treatment or are in remission.
When you get a quote, you will go through a travel insurance medical screening where we will ask questions about your diagnosis, treatment, medication and current health. This helps us understand your individual circumstances and the cover available to you.
The questions you are asked may differ depending on the type of blood cancer you have and your circumstances. Someone living with a slow-growing blood cancer that is being actively monitored, for example, may have a very different medical history from someone currently receiving chemotherapy or recovering from a stem cell transplant.
It is important to answer the questions accurately so you can be confident you have declared the medical information we need.
Understanding Blood Cancer and Your Travel Insurance
Blood cancer is not one single condition. There are many different types, which can behave differently and require different treatments.
Some of the main types include:
- Leukaemia, which affects blood cells in the bone marrow, usually white blood cells
- Lymphoma, which affects white blood cells called lymphocytes
- Myeloma, also called multiple myeloma, which affects white blood cells called plasma cells
- Myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS), a group of conditions where the bone marrow does not produce healthy blood cells properly
- Myeloproliferative neoplasms (MPN), a group of blood cancers that include polycythaemia vera, essential thrombocythaemia and myelofibrosis
There are also many different subtypes within these groups. For example, leukaemia includes conditions such as acute myeloid leukaemia (AML), chronic lymphocytic leukaemia (CLL) and chronic myeloid leukaemia (CML), while lymphoma includes Hodgkin lymphoma and many different types of non-Hodgkin lymphoma.
Find out more about Travel Insurance with Leukaemia
Find out more about Travel Insurance with Lymphoma
Find out more about Travel Insurance with Myeloma
Your experience of blood cancer can therefore be very different from someone else’s.
You may be receiving chemotherapy, immunotherapy or targeted treatment, recovering from a stem cell transplant, taking long-term medication, or having regular check-ups without currently needing treatment.
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 work out what information is relevant before you start. Our travel insurance medical screening process will guide you through the questions we need to ask.
Find out more about how travel insurance medical screening works
Travelling with blood cancer
Having blood cancer does not necessarily mean that you cannot travel. Depending on your health, treatment and advice from your medical team, you should still be able to enjoy holidays in the UK or abroad.
Because blood cancers and their treatments can affect people differently, it is particularly important to plan around your own circumstances rather than somebody else’s experience.
Before you travel
- Speak to your healthcare team: If you are receiving treatment, have recently finished treatment or have concerns about travelling, speak to your consultant, clinical nurse specialist or another member of your healthcare team before booking your trip.
- Plan around your treatment: Blood cancer treatments can include chemotherapy, immunotherapy, targeted therapies, radiotherapy and stem cell transplants. Some people may also be on active monitoring without currently receiving treatment. Talk to your healthcare team about your travel plans and whether the timing of treatment or possible side effects could affect your trip.
- Ask about infection risk: Blood cancer and some treatments can affect your immune system. Ask your healthcare team whether your current infection risk should affect where or when you travel and whether there are any additional precautions you should take.
- Check you are fit to fly: Speak to your healthcare team if you have any concerns about flying, particularly if you have recently had intensive treatment or a stem cell transplant, or have other health complications. Your airline may also have its own requirements.
- Bring enough medication: Take enough medication for your trip, plus extra where appropriate in case you are delayed. Keep essential medication in your hand luggage and check the rules for taking medicines into your destination. You may need supporting documentation for some medicines.
- Check vaccinations early: Some blood cancers and treatments can affect your immune system and which vaccinations are suitable for you. Speak to your healthcare team or a travel health professional before having travel vaccinations rather than assuming that routine travel vaccinations will be appropriate.
- Think about your energy levels: Fatigue can be a symptom of blood cancer and a side effect of treatment. Consider whether long journeys, connecting flights or a very busy itinerary will be manageable for you.
- Consider airport assistance: If fatigue, weakness or reduced mobility could make travelling through an airport difficult, check what assistance your airline or airport can provide.
During your holiday
Once you are away, try to travel in a way that works for how you are feeling rather than feeling that you need to fit everything into every day.
You may find it helpful to:
- Build rest into your itinerary if you experience fatigue
- Keep well hydrated, particularly in warmer destinations
- Take sensible precautions to reduce your risk of infection if advised to do so by your healthcare team
- Carry essential medication with you rather than leaving everything at your accommodation
- Store medication according to its instructions
- Know where you could obtain medical assistance locally
- Keep your insurer’s emergency assistance details somewhere easily accessible
- Leave some flexibility in your plans in case your energy levels or symptoms change
Travelling after a blood cancer diagnosis may take a little more planning than it did before. The aim is not to let your diagnosis dictate your holiday, but to help you feel prepared enough to enjoy being away.
Blood cancer, your immune system and travelling
Blood cancer can sometimes affect how well your immune system works. Some treatments can also reduce your ability to fight infection.
This does not mean that everyone with blood cancer needs to avoid travelling. Your individual risk will depend on factors including the type of blood cancer you have, the treatment you are receiving or have recently received, and your current health.
If you are planning to travel during or after treatment, speak to your healthcare team about your individual infection risk.
This can be particularly important when considering:
- Your destination and access to healthcare
- Crowded airports, flights and other forms of public transport
- Food and water precautions
- Travel vaccinations
- What you should do if you develop a fever or become unwell while you are away
If your healthcare team gives you specific instructions about what to do if you develop signs of infection, make sure you understand how you would follow that advice while abroad.
Flying after a blood cancer diagnosis
Whether you can fly with blood cancer will depend on your individual circumstances.
There is no single rule that applies to everybody with blood cancer. Someone whose condition is stable and being monitored may have very different considerations from somebody who has recently received intensive treatment.
Cancer and some cancer treatments can also increase the risk of developing a blood clot, while long periods sitting still during travel can increase the risk further.
Speak to your healthcare team before flying if you have concerns about your treatment, blood counts, infection risk, blood clots or any other complications.
Your airline may also have its own requirements regarding fitness to fly, so check these before travelling.
The Importance of Declaring Your Medical Conditions
Whether it is unexpected medical treatment abroad or returning home early because of a medical emergency, healthcare costs while travelling can quickly become expensive. Having travel insurance that reflects your individual health is therefore an important part of travelling with confidence.
When arranging your travel insurance, it is important to tell us about:
- Your blood cancer diagnosis
- The specific type of blood cancer you have
- Any medication you are taking
- Any treatment you are currently receiving or have recently completed
- Any ongoing hospital appointments, monitoring or follow-up care
- Any medical conditions that have developed as a result of your cancer or its treatment
- Any other medical conditions you have
Providing accurate information allows us to assess your circumstances and explain the cover available to you.
If medical conditions or treatments are not declared when required, it could affect your cover and may mean claims relating to those conditions cannot be paid.
At Lighthouse, we aim to make travel insurance medical screening straightforward, helping you understand what information we need so you can travel with greater peace of mind.
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
