A stem cell or bone marrow transplant can involve a long period of treatment and recovery, so thinking about travelling again can feel like a significant milestone.
You may be looking forward to your first holiday after spending weeks or months focused on treatment, hospital stays and appointments. At the same time, you might be wondering when it is appropriate to travel, whether your immune system has recovered enough, which vaccinations you can have and whether you can get travel insurance after a transplant.
Travelling may be possible after a stem cell or bone marrow transplant, but timing is particularly important.
Your immune system needs time to recover, you may still be taking medication or attending regular appointments, and some people can experience complications that require ongoing specialist care.
At Lighthouse Travel Insurance, we help people living with and recovering from cancer find cover that takes their medical circumstances into account.
We know that planning a holiday after a transplant can bring up questions you may never have considered before. When can you travel abroad? Can you fly? Do you need vaccinations again? What happens if you develop an infection? What if you have graft-versus-host disease?
There is no single answer that applies to everybody.
Your type of transplant, recovery, immune system, medication, complications and advice from your transplant team all matter.
That is why we have brought together some of the practical considerations that may help you prepare for travelling again with greater confidence.
Can you get travel insurance after a stem cell or bone marrow transplant?
Travel insurance may be available after a stem cell or bone marrow transplant, depending on your individual circumstances.
When you get a quote, you will go through medical screening where we will ask questions about your cancer diagnosis, transplant, treatment, medication and current health.
This helps us understand your circumstances and the cover available to you.
Someone who had an autologous stem cell transplant several months ago and is recovering well may have very different circumstances from somebody who has had a donor transplant and is still receiving treatment for complications such as graft-versus-host disease.
Your ongoing monitoring, medication and any complications following the transplant may also be relevant.
It is important to answer the medical screening questions accurately so you can be confident you have declared the information we need.
Understanding stem cell and bone marrow transplants and your travel insurance
A stem cell or bone marrow transplant replaces damaged or unhealthy blood-forming cells with healthy stem cells.
Stem cells can come from your own body or from a donor.
An autologous transplant uses your own stem cells, which are collected before treatment and then returned to you.
An allogeneic transplant uses stem cells from a donor.
Before the transplant, people usually receive chemotherapy and sometimes radiotherapy. This is known as conditioning treatment and prepares the body for the transplant.
The treatment can temporarily leave your immune system very weak, which is why people usually remain in hospital or specialist accommodation until their medical team is satisfied that it is safe for them to go home.
Recovery can then continue for many months.
For travel insurance, it is your individual circumstances that matter.
When you get a quote, we may ask about your cancer diagnosis, transplant, conditioning treatment, medication, complications and 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 for yourself which medical details are relevant before you start. Our medical screening process will guide you through the questions we need to ask.
Find out more about Travelling During and After Cancer Treatment
When can you travel after a stem cell or bone marrow transplant?
There is no single waiting period after a stem cell or bone marrow transplant that is appropriate for everybody.
The NHS advises people not to travel abroad unless their transplant team says they can. Recovery can take many months, and full recovery may take up to a year.
Some specialist transplant centres advise against travelling abroad during the first few months after transplant because the immune system remains weak and access to specialist medical care may be important. For example, UCLH advises its autologous transplant patients against overseas travel for the first three to six months and recommends discussing any later travel with their doctor.
That should not be treated as a universal timeframe.
Your transplant team knows your blood results, immune recovery, medication and any complications, so they are best placed to advise when travel is appropriate for you.
They may also want to consider:
- Whether your blood counts have recovered sufficiently
- Your current infection risk
- Whether you are taking medicines that suppress your immune system
- How frequently you need follow-up appointments
- Any graft-versus-host disease
- Whether you have needed recent transfusions
- Your energy levels and general recovery
- Access to specialist healthcare at your destination
Do not book a trip based solely on the amount of time that has passed since your transplant.
Planning your first holiday after a stem cell or bone marrow transplant
Your first trip after transplant may feel especially significant.
After months of treatment and recovery, simply being able to think about going away can feel like great progress.
But you may still need to travel differently from how you did before treatment.
Before you travel
- Speak to your transplant team: Ask whether your immune recovery, blood results, medication and general health make the trip appropriate.
- Think carefully about your destination: Access to good healthcare can be particularly important following a transplant.
- Check your follow-up schedule: Make sure your trip does not clash with appointments, blood tests, transfusions or monitoring your team considers necessary.
- Ask about infection risk: Your immune system may remain weakened even when you are feeling well.
- Check vaccinations early: You may need to repeat vaccinations after a transplant, while some live vaccines may not be suitable until your immune system has recovered sufficiently.
- Plan your medication: Make sure you have enough medication and understand how it needs to be stored and taken.
- Carry useful medical information: Ask your transplant team what information or alert cards you should take with you.
- Know who to contact: Keep your transplant team’s contact details accessible while you are away.
- Think about fatigue: Recovery can take time, so consider whether the journey and itinerary are realistic for your current energy levels.
- Consider airport assistance: If weakness or fatigue makes long distances difficult, check what assistance is available.
- Research medical care: Know where you could access suitable healthcare if you became unwell.
During your holiday
You may find it helpful to:
- Follow all infection precautions recommended by your transplant team
- Keep prescribed medication with you
- Carry medical information or alert cards
- Know what symptoms your transplant team wants you to report
- Keep well hydrated
- Follow any food safety advice you have been given
- Protect your skin from strong sunlight
- Build plenty of rest into your itinerary
- Know where you could obtain urgent medical help
- Keep your insurer’s emergency assistance details somewhere accessible
Your transplant will be an important consideration when planning your holiday, but with the right preparation, you can also make time to relax and enjoy your trip.
Immunity and infection after a stem cell or bone marrow transplant
Infection risk is one of the most important considerations following a transplant.
Conditioning treatment and the transplant itself can leave your immune system weak. Even after you leave hospital, your immune system continues to rebuild over time.
You may also take medicines to prevent infections or, following a donor transplant, medicines that suppress your immune system.
How quickly immunity recovers varies from person to person.
Before travelling, ask your transplant team:
- Whether your immune system has recovered sufficiently for the trip
- Whether there are destinations they recommend avoiding
- Whether crowded airports or public transport create additional concerns
- Which food and water precautions you should follow
- What to do if you develop a fever or other signs of infection
- Whether you need preventative medication while travelling
- How quickly you would need to access specialist medical care if you became unwell
Do not assume that feeling well means your immune system has fully recovered.
The NHS advises people recovering from transplant to follow their care team’s infection-prevention advice and not to travel abroad without their approval.
Read our guide to Immunity and Travel
Vaccinations after a stem cell or bone marrow transplant
Vaccinations need particular planning after a transplant.
A stem cell transplant can mean that immunity you built up from previous vaccinations needs to be restored. Your transplant team will usually arrange a programme of vaccinations again as your immune system recovers.
The exact schedule depends on your circumstances.
Some live vaccines may not be suitable until much later, or while you are taking medicines that suppress your immune system. This can be particularly important if you want to visit a destination where vaccines such as yellow fever are recommended or required.
Before choosing a destination:
- Ask your transplant team which routine vaccinations you have restarted
- Check whether you need any travel vaccinations
- Ask whether those vaccines are suitable for you
- Start planning early, as some vaccines require several doses
- Do not have a live vaccine without approval from your transplant team
If a vaccine required for your destination is not suitable for you, speak to your transplant team and a travel health professional about what this means for your plans.
Graft-versus-host disease and travelling
If you received stem cells from a donor, you may be at risk of graft-versus-host disease, often shortened to GvHD.
This happens when the donated cells recognise your body’s tissues as different and attack them.
GvHD can develop soon after a transplant or later and can affect different parts of the body, including the skin, digestive system, liver, eyes, mouth, lungs, muscles and joints.
Not everybody who has a donor transplant develops GvHD.
If you do have GvHD, whether travelling is appropriate will depend on how it is affecting you and the treatment you need.
You may also be taking medicines that suppress your immune system, which can increase your infection risk.
Before travelling, ask your transplant team:
- Whether your GvHD is stable enough for travel
- Whether medication or monitoring will affect your trip
- Which symptoms should prompt you to seek medical help
- Whether your destination has suitable specialist healthcare
- Whether heat, sun exposure or other environmental factors could affect your symptoms
If your GvHD changes or worsens after you book your trip, contact both your healthcare team and your travel insurer where required.
Food and water while travelling after a transplant
People recovering from transplant may be given specific advice about food hygiene because infection from food can be more serious when immunity is weakened.
Follow your care team’s advice about food during recovery and taking steps such as washing fruit and vegetables carefully.
If you are thinking about travelling abroad, ask your transplant team whether there are food or water precautions you still need to follow.
This may influence the destination or type of holiday you choose.
Think about:
- Access to safe drinking water
- Food hygiene standards
- Whether you can reliably follow any dietary advice you have been given
- How you would manage meals during long journeys
- Whether stomach illness could present a greater risk for you
If your healthcare team has given you specific dietary restrictions, continue following them while you are away.
Sun protection after a stem cell or bone marrow transplant
Your skin may be more sensitive to sunlight while recovering from a transplant.
This can be related to previous chemotherapy or radiotherapy, medication or complications such as GvHD.
Before travelling somewhere sunny, ask your healthcare team whether you need to take additional precautions.
Depending on your circumstances, this may include covering your skin, using appropriate high-factor sun protection, seeking shade and avoiding strong midday sun.
If you have skin GvHD, follow the specific advice given by your transplant team.
Flying after a stem cell or bone marrow transplant
Having had a stem cell or bone marrow transplant does not automatically mean that you cannot fly again.
However, flying too early in recovery may not be appropriate.
Your transplant team may need to consider your blood counts, immune system, infection risk, medication, complications and how easily you could access specialist care if you became unwell.
You may also still be experiencing fatigue or weakness that makes a long airport journey or flight more demanding.
Do not use a generic timeframe as confirmation that you are fit to fly.
Ask your transplant team when flying is appropriate for you.
Your airline may also have its own medical clearance or fitness-to-fly requirements.
The Importance of Declaring Your Medical Conditions
Having travel insurance that reflects your individual health is an important part of travelling with confidence.
When arranging your travel insurance, it is important to tell us about:
- Your cancer or blood condition
- Your stem cell or bone marrow transplant
- Whether the transplant used your own cells or donor cells, when asked
- Conditioning treatment such as chemotherapy or radiotherapy
- Any medication you are taking
- Any graft-versus-host disease or other complications
- Any ongoing hospital appointments, blood tests or monitoring
- Any medical conditions that have developed as a result of your 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 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
