A mother of six battling one of the world’s deadliest brain tumours says she’s devastated she must again leave Australia, and her family, to access potentially life-saving surgery, after being blocked from having it at home.
Tanya Miles, who was diagnosed with an aggressive glioblastoma (GBM) in November 2024, is returning to China later this month so renowned neurosurgeon Dr Charlie Teo can operate for a second time. It comes just eight months after he and his team in Wuzhishan performed a radical resection that gave her new hope.
“I’ve been good as gold since Charlie’s surgery,” Ms Miles told news.com.au. “But now I have to do it all again, and it makes me so angry. No one should have to leave their own country, their friends and family, to have high-risk surgery.”
Her frustration is directed squarely at Australia’s medical system, which she says is robbing desperate patients of choice. Dr Teo, long considered a pioneer in brain surgery, is currently barred from operating in Australia without special permission following findings of unsatisfactory conduct by the Medical Professional Standards Committee.
“It’s politics,” Ms Miles said. “Australian patients are suffering. Because of decisions made by people who aren’t in our shoes, we can’t access the best surgeon in the world for this kind of tumour. It’s just not good enough.”
After her diagnosis, Ms Miles researched every possible option. Despite controversy surrounding Dr Teo’s methods, she was convinced his aggressive surgical approach gave her the best chance. She raised more than $100,000 and flew to China with her son and best friend.
“It was the most terrifying decision I’ve ever made,” she said, recalling the moment her post-op scan showed nothing but black space where the tumour had once been. “But it paid off.”
She never expected to need another surgery so soon.
A new scan has revealed changes that may indicate either tumour regrowth or radiation damage. Only surgery can determine which, and remove as much of the mass as possible. But the Australian surgeon recommended to her by Dr Teo could only offer a biopsy.
“I asked him straight, ‘Can you do what Charlie can do?’” she said. “And he agreed: I should go to Charlie in China.”
This time, she’ll travel with her best friend and two of her sons, leaving behind her four other children.
“It’s just too much,” she said, holding back tears. “To go through this, again, so far away… It’s unfair. Someone needs to exercise some common sense and allow Dr Teo to operate here. People should have the choice. You shouldn’t be able to take that away from them when they are fighting for their lives.”
Images: Instagram
