Join us as we talk to Noel Carmona.
Noel Angelo Carmona never expected a persistent cough to change his life. But after coughing to the point of unconsciousness, the Hunter Valley husband and father admitted himself to hospital β where he was diagnosed with Thymic Carcinoma, a rare cancer affecting just one in a million people in Australia.
In this raw and powerful episode of The Big C Podcast, Noel shares the reality of navigating a cancer so rare there is no clear treatment roadmap. Over the past three years, he has undergone surgery, four types of chemotherapy, immunotherapy, two failed clinical trials, and radiation β all while facing the emotional, physical and financial toll of a system that often leaves rare cancer patients behind.
Noel opens up about paying nearly $3,000 every three weeks for treatment not covered by the PBS, the heartbreak of failed clinical trials, and why heβs now using his voice to advocate for better access, awareness, and support for rare cancer patients across Australia.
This episode is about resilience, family, mental health, and the fight for a fairer system β even when the odds are one in a million.
Some resources below:
https://www.rarecancers.org.au/
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