In a world where we often take for granted the safety nets designed to catch us during our most challenging times, the story of a 35-year-old father from the Hunter Valley, New South Wales, served as a stark reminder that sometimes the system fails those it's meant to protect.

His plight is not just a personal tragedy but a glaring example of the gaps and flaws within our social support mechanisms.

Despite his efforts to access critical assistance, he fell through the cracks, highlighting the urgent need for reform in providing help to those in need.

Brendan Smith is battling end-stage kidney failure, a life-threatening condition that his lifelong struggle with type-1 diabetes has exacerbated.

Diagnosed only last year after a gradual two-year decline in health, Brendan now relies on daily dialysis to keep him alive as he awaits a double kidney-pancreas transplant.

Brendan Smith, a 35-year-old father with end-stage kidney failure, has been deemed ineligible for Centrelink assistance due to policy technicalities. Credit: GoFundMe

But his woes don't end there. Last year, while working as a security guard, Brendan survived a near-fatal stabbing and a car crash, leaving him with severe PTSD, a shattered pelvis, and a ruptured tendon.

These injuries have rendered him unable to return to his previous job.

Despite the severity of his condition and the apparent inability to work, Brendan has found himself ineligible for Centrelink's Disability Support payments.

His life-saving dialysis is considered 'ongoing treatment,' and under current regulations, those receiving ongoing medical treatment do not qualify for disability assistance.

This technicality has left Brendan and his family in a dire financial situation.

His cousin, Emily King, has expressed frustration and disbelief at the system's failure to recognise Brendan's need for help.

'It's infuriating to see that able-bodied people can access disability payments, yet someone like Brendan, who is fighting for his life every day, falls through the cracks,' she said.

Brendan receives minimal worker compensation payments, barely covering his mortgage and leaving him with a meagre $60 weekly.

The situation is even more heart-wrenching considering Brendan's role as a single father, striving to support his daughter amidst overwhelming health challenges.

The financial strain is immense, and the constant uncertainty is a heavy burden for any parent.

Before his health took a turn for the worse, Brendan was known for his generosity and charitable spirit.

Locals recall his random acts of kindness, such as paying for the fast food orders of those behind him or leaving substantial tips for wait staff.

Now, after years of giving, the community is rallying around him, showing their support through donations and heartfelt messages of gratitude.

A GoFundMe campaign has been launched to help Brendan cope with his mounting expenses, and the response has been a testament to the impact he's had on those around him.

'It's shown me I don't ever expect to get anything back—but it does come back,' Brendan reflected.

Brendan's resilience is nothing short of remarkable. Despite the numerous challenges he's faced, including losing vision in one eye due to diabetes, his humour and determination remain intact.

His doctors have even half-jokingly suggested that he might be indestructible, given his ability to endure so much.

As Brendan holds on to hope for a dual transplant that could significantly extend his life, his story raises critical questions about the adequacy of our social support systems.

How can a man dedicated to serving others be left without the help he desperately needs?

It's a sobering reminder that the system, designed to help, is not infallible.

The Department of Social Services has been contacted for comment. As we await their response, we are reminded of the importance of community and the need for compassion and advocacy for those who fall through the cracks.

Brendan's story is not just his own; it reflects the struggles faced by many Australians battling against a system that should be there to support them.

Key Takeaways

• Brendan Smith, a 35-year-old father with end-stage kidney failure and other severe health conditions, is ineligible for Centrelink assistance due to policy technicalities.
• He is unable to work due to his health issues and the injuries sustained from a near-fatal stabbing and a car crash, yet he cannot access Disability Support payments or JobSeeker benefits.
• His situation highlighted a systemic issue where those with life-threatening and severe chronic conditions may not qualify for governmental support under current regulations.
• A GoFundMe has been initiated to help Mr Smith manage his financial burdens, including his mortgage and medical treatments.

Have you or someone you know faced similar challenges with the social support system? How can we improve the system to ensure no one is left behind? Share your thoughts and experiences in the comments below.

 

[Suzanne rose]

Seems you might have an argument there, Suzanne rose. I re-visited the article and enlarged the picture quite a bit. I too thought his colour looked quite normal and his face is not sallow and drawn as would probably be the case in an end of life patient, but I feel the ‘tubes coming from under his hoodie’ (the cream ones) look like they are actually the tie cords for his hoodie, but the black one looks like it is a music cord for his phone or computer (you can make out the volume control section). No mask on her, no tubes etc attached to him & no breathing tubes?! All of that looks sus.

There is even a laptop (partially in the picture) a computer mouse and mobile phone. If they are hers why are they on the table (normally used by a patient mostly for their food) positioned over his bed? Who do they all belong to? If this is all a scam, then she’s blown it by posting a picture. Might have been easier for them to scam some go fund me money if no picture was posted. The hospital equipment possibly means she’s a nurse there. Why does she look so happy? This becomes more questionable now.

But there are also a lot more questions and answers required from our government when it comes to refusals for genuine cases of all kinds. I don’t want to totally refute the info in the article but there is a lot more to it.

He had also gotten a compensation payout for the car accident which is the real reason he got turned down for the dsp
Looking at his Facebook page he doesn't look sick .
I also think he has no kids living with him

Sadly so many Go Fuud me are scams

 

[relljube]

He had also gotten a compensation payout for the car accident which is the real reason he got turned down for the dsp
Looking at his Facebook page he doesn't look sick .
I also think he has no kids living with him

Sadly so many Go Fuud me are scams

There are so many scam artists out there that you have to question everything these days. Makes it hard for genuine needy cases.

 

[Penny4]

ok my daughter showed me another article on this, it was posted on the daily mail UK
It appears he was in a car accident and was paid a compensation payout, which is the real reason he wasn't given a centrelink payment.

The article that was posted by sdc is sponsored by gofund me.

My daughter who is a nurse said if he needed a double kidney transplant ( very rare) and he was at end of life he would have absolutely no colour. In the picture his colour is normal.

Also the tubes you see coming from under his hoody is actually his ear phones for his phone.

Someone who has kidney failure as he is supposed to have wouldnt have his own clothes on and his happy cousin would need a mask and gown to prevent him catching infections

He isn't hooked up to any machines at all

There is absolutely nothing on his or his cousins social media.

If he was in dire need centrelink would give him a payment of jobseeker and wouldnt need to look for work.
He would also receive around $300 for each child through family tax benefits

There is definitely more to this story

The first thing I noticed was the girl in the photo with a huge grin and thumbs up - which is a strange emotion for someone ill in the bed.

 

[Suzanne rose]

The system to get onto DSP is like the American system now and that sucks big time, having to get lawyers involved and several kinds of doctors who could charge you through the roof is so unaustralian.
When I got mine it was in 2003 and pretty easy, it was obvious I had disibilities so Centrelinks doctor signed me up.
Then when my partner got on his in 2006, all his doctors had to do was mention the mental health card and they were throwing it at him.
We were, and still are, go grateful to be on it, I don't know what we would do if we had to jump through financial hoops to get it.

I was approved only last year. I was on jobseeker for 2 years and would give in medical certificates.
It took over a year to get approved for dsp.
I had reports from my surgeon, gp and psychologist.
I then saw centrelinks doctor and psychologist. Was approved straight away.

I also sued my original surgeon for negligence.
I was happy in my job until this surgeon stitched a hernia mesh to my bowl plus used recalled mesh.
I had chronic infection, very sick and unbelievable amount if pus and blood would run out of my belly button. I needed to keep a bandage over it at all times . I needed to get the mesh removed resulting in losing my whole umbilicus plus abdominal wall.

I was on keflex for 2 years
I'm now in constant nerve pain as the stitches inside went through a nerve. I take Lyrica twice a day
I can't lift too much, although my daughter who is a personal trainer wants to take me to the gym for light weight training don't think that's going to be possible.
I now visit a psychologist monthly

 

[Suzanne rose]

The first thing I noticed was the girl in the photo with a huge grin and thumbs up - which is a strange emotion for someone ill in the bed.

I don't believe any off this story. My daughter said it's a definite scam

 

[relljube]

I was approved only last year. I was on jobseeker for 2 years and would give in medical certificates.
It took over a year to get approved for dsp.
I had reports from my surgeon, gp and psychologist.
I then saw centrelinks doctor and psychologist. Was the approved straight away.

I also sued my original surgeon for negligence.
I was happy in my job until this surgeon stitched a hernia mesh to my bowl plus used recalled mesh.
I had chronic infection which I needed to get the mesh removed resulting in losing my whole umbilicus plus abdominal wall.
I'm now in constant nerve pain as the stitches inside went through a nerve.
I can't lift too much, although my daughter who is a personal trainer wants to take me to the gym for light weight training don't think that's going to be possible.
I now visit a psychologist monthly

God heavens is the mongrel still operating?

 

[Miss Jewel]

I am on the DSP, and I have many ongoing treatments for my medical conditions. Daily medications.
It does not make sense to me that he would be rejected. Now his situation has been highlighted I hope common sense prevails. Perhaps it is a case that with further treatments he will get better? Where as my conditions will only get worse. I wish Brendan the best for him and his family.

 

[deni67]

I am on the DSP, and I have many ongoing treatments for my medical conditions. Daily medications.
It does not make sense to me that he would be rejected. Now his situation has been highlighted I hope common sense prevails. Perhaps it is a case that with further treatments he will get better? Where as my conditions will only get worse. I wish Brendan the best for him and his family.

Read Suzanne's first post about this, it's very interesting!

 

[GillyH]

Parameters need to exist, but they are only parameters. Human beings managing the NDIS need the flexibility and ability to think and operate outside those parameters when someone's situation doesn't fit "in the box". Peopke need to be able to think and assess outside that box everybody is unique. The one size fits all rules cannot be applied to people's health.

Of course, anybody whose situation doesn't sit within the rules would need sign-off from supervisors or managers but that should be available and exist in the rules.

There has been alot of Bludgers abusing the system in the past! the government has made it alot harder now. Unfortunately, all cases should be individually accessed.

 

[Suzanne rose]

Seriously - if this is proven right there is only 1 word - bastards! Should the police be notified for attempted fraud?

He will get caught!

 

[Suzanne rose]

God heavens is the mongrel still operating?

Yes he is still operating, I thought by sueing him he would be in trouble but all he will get is a higher insurance premium.

I needed to put in a formal complaint but honestly by the time my case closed I was exhausted.
I went in for a gall bladder removal and he also took out my umbilical hernia which was not bothering me.

He was very rude and arrogant man.
8 months after my surgery he wanted to put me in and open me up to see what was happening. I got a second opinion and loved the new surgeon. I needed two surgeries and my new surgeon was shocked what he found when he operated.

My daughter is a nurse and works in the operating rooms, and discussed my situation with a couple of surgeons that she works with. They both said what he did to me was impossible and beyond negligent.
He is Sri Lankin unfortunately I'm not able to name him . That was part of my payout .

 

[Veggiepatch]

He had also gotten a compensation payout for the car accident which is the real reason he got turned down for the dsp
Looking at his Facebook page he doesn't look sick .
I also think he has no kids living with him

Sadly so many Go Fuud me are scams

As a single person, Brendan is able to have $566000 in assets before it affects the disability support pension. You completely lose the pension if you have more than $947500 in assets.

 

[Ezzy]

Another example of help the greedy & stuff the needy!

We've read in this forum about people who work just the minimum number of hours weekly so that they can collect unemployment benefits. Those people should have their benefits stopped & be made to rely totally on a wage from working. Unfortunately the reverse would possibly happen, where they would throw the job in & collect a full dole or the employer would pay cash in hand, those people would declare they don't work & collect a full dole.

The people making these rules had better hope they never need these services themselves.

 

[PepeLePew]

This doesn't surprise me in the least. Had 2 friends who went through the same thing. They both passed at the age of 63 a few yrs apart.
The first friend was diagnosed with advanced breast cancer in both breasts and was put on aggressive kemo treatment as she was too overweight for an operation. Centrelink rejected her claim for sickness benefits even though kemo made her so sick that most days she couldn't get out of bed. They told her that that was no excuse as to why she couldn't do 15hrs of voluntary work a wk to meet her Newstart allowance payment. When Kemo didn't work and the cancer spread she was given no more than 12mths to live Centrelink still wouldn't give her sickness benefits.
The 2nd friend was found to have cervical cancer but because she was grossly overweight the hospital wouldn't operate due to the risk of death on the operating table. She was put on a fast track weight loss program but didn't follow it properly so by the time she had lost enough weight to get the operation the cancer was to far advanced. She eventually had to resign her from her job as she was then quite ill with not much longer to live. Centrelink finally approved her sickness benefits payment 6wks after she passed away.
About 6yrs ago my oldest son was diagnosed with Lupus. He was advised to quit his job as he was going to have to see a heap of specialists due to this condition. He applied for sickness benefits to tide him over until he was well enough to go back to work and was told that because he was still undergoing tests then it meant that his illness hadn't been properly defined at that point therefore he wasn't entitled to payments.

 

[Ezzy]

This doesn't surprise me in the least. Had 2 friends who went through the same thing. They both passed at the age of 63 a few yrs apart.
The first friend was diagnosed with advanced breast cancer in both breasts and was put on aggressive kemo treatment as she was too overweight for an operation. Centrelink rejected her claim for sickness benefits even though kemo made her so sick that most days she couldn't get out of bed. They told her that that was no excuse as to why she couldn't do 15hrs of voluntary work a wk to meet her Newstart allowance payment. When Kemo didn't work and the cancer spread she was given no more than 12mths to live Centrelink still wouldn't give her sickness benefits.
The 2nd friend was found to have cervical cancer but because she was grossly overweight the hospital wouldn't operate due to the risk of death on the operating table. She was put on a fast track weight loss program but didn't follow it properly so by the time she had lost enough weight to get the operation the cancer was to far advanced. She eventually had to resign her from her job as she was then quite ill with not much longer to live. Centrelink finally approved her sickness benefits payment 6wks after she passed away.
About 6yrs ago my oldest son was diagnosed with Lupus. He was advised to quit his job as he was going to have to see a heap of specialists due to this condition. He applied for sickness benefits to tide him over until he was well enough to go back to work and was told that because he was still undergoing tests then it meant that his illness hadn't been properly defined at that point therefore he wasn't entitled to payments.

These are very distressing examples of genuinely deserving people who should have received assistance from Centrelink but were knocked back.

They were obviously not going to be able to work yet unrealistic rules deemed them unsuitable for any payments. How many other people are in similar situations with treatments etc. & are made to suffer even more by a system which is long overdue for a review?

IS IT ANY WONDER WE HEAR OF PEOPLE SUICIDING BECAUSE THEY AREN'T BEING HELPED BY THE VERY SYSTEM SET UP FOR THESE REASONS?

THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT NEEDS TO PULL THEIR HEAD OUT OF THEIR ARSE & FIX THESE SHORTFALLS!!!

 

[deni67]

Holy shit, this fool has raised $14,376 of a $15,000 goal.
Something should be done about this!

 

[deni67]

I just read some of the comments on the official story from the link up the top, there's some interesting things in there, and of course bitch fights, my favourite thing to read sometimes when i'm bored

 

[Suzanne rose]

This doesn't surprise me in the least. Had 2 friends who went through the same thing. They both passed at the age of 63 a few yrs apart.
The first friend was diagnosed with advanced breast cancer in both breasts and was put on aggressive kemo treatment as she was too overweight for an operation. Centrelink rejected her claim for sickness benefits even though kemo made her so sick that most days she couldn't get out of bed. They told her that that was no excuse as to why she couldn't do 15hrs of voluntary work a wk to meet her Newstart allowance payment. When Kemo didn't work and the cancer spread she was given no more than 12mths to live Centrelink still wouldn't give her sickness benefits.
The 2nd friend was found to have cervical cancer but because she was grossly overweight the hospital wouldn't operate due to the risk of death on the operating table. She was put on a fast track weight loss program but didn't follow it properly so by the time she had lost enough weight to get the operation the cancer was to far advanced. She eventually had to resign her from her job as she was then quite ill with not much longer to live. Centrelink finally approved her sickness benefits payment 6wks after she passed away.
About 6yrs ago my oldest son was diagnosed with Lupus. He was advised to quit his job as he was going to have to see a heap of specialists due to this condition. He applied for sickness benefits to tide him over until he was well enough to go back to work and was told that because he was still undergoing tests then it meant that his illness hadn't been properly defined at that point therefore he wasn't entitled to payments.

This is sad and they need to change things.
A close friend of mine has Lupus and gets very suck with it. Even going in the sun would give her headaches.

Because of the Lupus she struggled to have kids. She got pregnant easily but by 8 to 10 weeks would miscarriage due to the Lupus.
Most days she was fine to work. With her I can see how centrelink definitely wouldn't have approved her

 

[Suzanne rose]

I just read some of the comments on the official story from the link up the top, there's some interesting things in there, and of course bitch fights, my favourite thing to read sometimes when i'm bored

It's amazing the different opinions. Hopefully though no one went into GoFundMe and donated

 

[Suzanne rose]

As a single person, Brendan is able to have $566000 in assets before it affects the disability support pension. You completely lose the pension if you have more than $947500 in assets.

I didn't get anywhere near that amount but still a good payout and I got to keep my full pension . A lady from centrelink in the area of payouts called me 9am on a Sunday morning and told me I could have had another $80,000 and still got the full pension.

This is why what this dudes saying doesn't add up