Almost four years ago, I was hit by a debilitating back injury. Two prolapsed discs - C6 and C7 - have left me in a world of constant pain, transforming my life into a blur of agony and dependence. While I yearn for the liberation promised by a surgical intervention, I am told to wait another 18 long months, fighting my affliction armed with nothing but prescribed pills. Regrettably, there are countless others suffering alongside me, trapped in a vicious cycle of tardy surgical intervention, numbing drugs, and escalating mental distress. Our lives are on pause whilst we navigate this unbearable limbo.

The cause of our misery can be rooted in the inordinately lengthy waiting times for back surgeries. Contrary to enhancing the resilience of our healthcare system, these delays aggregate the burdens on public health expenditure. The incremental costs of recurring appointments, physical therapy, extended use of health aids, and long-term pain medication are all avoidable consequences of these waiting times


It's time for a change. We call upon our government to prioritize the review of funding and surgeons,  to reduce the waiting times, more pain management and counselling services, hear us when we tell you we are in crisis and allow our silent army to reclaim their lives from pain and the pharmacological haze it entails. Please sign this petition to support our cause.