South Australian grandfather Billy Hassan was diagnosed with 'curable' cancer - but has now been giv

A grandfather who was told his cancer was curable has since been informed that it is stage four and terminal after he spent months on a waitlist for follow-up scans. 

Doctors discovered a treatable tumour in 67-year-old Billy Hassan’s lung in January, but after spending seven months waiting for treatment, he has 12 months left to live.

The grandfather from Andrews Farm, 30kms north of Adelaide, is now blaming South Australia’s ‘broken’ health system for not getting to the problem sooner. 

With or without treatment Mr Hassan has been told that he only has 12 months left, but he’s moving to Rockhampton, in Queensland, for a second opinion. 

The cancer, which has now spread to his throat and lymph nodes, was deemed to be curable when it was first discovered. 

Doctors discovered a treatable tumour in Billy Hassan’s, 67, lung in January, but after spending seven months waiting for treatment, he has 12 months left to live

Instead of starting treatment immediately, doctors deferred him for further scans which Mr Hassan says was a careless mistake.

‘If I would have been treated, it would have been good. Now we’ll [have to] wait and see,’ Mr Hassan told 7News.

After he had already organised the move to Rockhampton, where he has family, doctors advised Mr Hassan that they were ready for him to start his treatment at the end of July. 

He has opted to continue on with the move however, believing Queensland’s medical system will provide him better odds of success. 

Mr Hassan’s daughter, Trina Selleck, says the state and Health Minister Chris Picton failed her father. 

‘They’ve taken his life away,’ Ms Selleck said.

‘I wonder what his wait time could be if he got cancer,’ she said of the minister.

Now the grandfather says the pain from his cancer is affecting his quality of life.

Since becoming aware of the situation, Mr Picton said he had asked the Department of Health to investigate the situation ‘as a matter of urgency’.

‘I’m very happy to meet with Mr Hassan. Very happy to hear his concerns,’ Mr Picton said. 

Mr Hassan’s daughter, Trina Selleck, says that the state and the Health Minister, Chris Picton, failed her father

Since becoming aware of the situation, Health Minister Chris Picton told 7news that he had asked the department of health to investigate the situation ‘as a matter of urgency’

Mr Hassan’s complaints come after another South Australian man said he was made to wait five months for treatment following a bowel cancer screening.

Mr Picton said this man has since been given an appointment for a colonoscopy, and that there were only four others in southern Adelaide with overdue gastroenterology appointments.

The public and private sectors are working together to try and get people off of overly long waitlists, according to Mr Picton.

Daily Mail Australia contacted Mr Picton for comment. 

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