Being diagnosed with cancer has hit people up and down the country with a ‘financial wrecking-ball’ and it’s been worse amid the pandemic, Macmillan Cancer Support has told This is Money.
Bill McGregor, 71, from Dundee, was diagnosed with prostate cancer in January last year. He had surgery to remove his prostate, but the cancer has now spread to lymph nodes in his pelvis.
Speaking to This is Money, Mr McGregor said he was meant to have chemotherapy earlier this year, but this was cancelled due to Covid-19. He is now receiving hormone injections every three months as an alternative treatment.
As well as dealing with the physical and mental toll of cancer, Mr McGregor said the financial fallout triggered by his illness made him ‘really stressed out’ and he ended up losing his job.
Bill McGregor, 71, from Dundee, pictured at his beloved allotment, was diagnosed with prostate cancer in January last year
‘When I was told I had cancer I was frightened, I didn’t know what to do or who to turn to. I felt so alone,’ Mr McGregor said.
He had been working as a lollipop man on around £70 a week, but had to give up his job after his diagnosis and was eventually made redundant around a year after he was first told he had cancer.
Before working as a lollipop man, Mr McGregor worked as an engineer in hospitals for over 28 years, and once worked at the Ninewells Hospital, where he has been treated for his cancer.
Finding it difficult to concentrate, sleep or relax and constantly worried about his health, the impact of his illness on his wife and his finances, Mr McGregor turned to Macmillan Cancer Support for help. With their guidance, Mr Gregor now has a blue badge for parking and receives £320 a month in the form of Personal Independence Payments.
A member of the Macmillan team went to Mr McGregor’s house and helped him fill in the myriad of forms needed for the PIP application and a blue badge.
Mr McGregor, who before the pandemic was also receiving reflexology support at Maggie’s hospice in Dundee, said he now ‘feels a bit better’ about his financial situation and was ‘really glad’ he had Macmillan by his side.
He also remains passionate about his allotment, and while admitting it is becoming a ‘struggle’ to tend to it as frequently as he would like, he still works on it as often as he can and gains great pleasure from it.
‘I’m a single mum and had no savings left’
Speaking to This is Money, Catherine, who has opted not to reveal her surname, is suffering from primary brain tumours.
Catherine, 48, who lives in Woodhall Spa, Lincolnshire and has an eight-year-old daughter called Michelle, has been treated at Nottingham City hospital.
She spent six months in hospital receiving intensive treatment for her cancer and went on half pay at her teaching job after six months, but she still had bills to pay and had ‘no savings left’.
Macmillan financial guidance was a life saver and having regular visits from Alison Hall at hospital was also morally a true relief.
Catherine, Lincolnshire
‘I became unable to repay my loan and my bank agreed for me to make a minimum monthly repayment for three months, but it still affected my credit rating.
‘My work place has been great and although I went back phased return to work, they put me back on full-time pay salary which they didn’t have to do by law,’ Catherine told This is Money.
But, another major financial sticking point emerged as Catherine’s landlady sold her home while she was receiving her cancer treatment.
She was left unable to pay the costs involved in moving to a new property, and her tumours had rendered her unable to drive. She sought help from Macmillan to get her back on track.
‘I was financially unable to pay for the moving cost, and had much appreciated help from Alison Hall (Macmillan Nottingham City) to apply to teaching charities and the council. I received financial help from them to pay the removal company, a cooker and carpet our council house for me and my daughter, I was also given a cheque by Macmillan.’
She added: ‘Macmillan financial guidance was a life saver in itself, and having regular visits from Alison Hall at hospital was also morally a true relief. I can’t word my appreciation to Macmillan and Nottingham City Hospital.’
‘Substantial’ rise in calls for help amid pandemic
Speaking to This is Money, Richard Manson, a financial guidance specialist on Macmillan’s support line, said Macmillan had seen a ‘substantial’ rise in the number of calls from cancer patients worried about their finances since Covid-19 started.
‘Many have been left reeling from the financial sting of the coronavirus pandemic on top of a cancer diagnosis, in a cruel “double whammy”.
Richard Manson, a financial guidance specialist on Macmillan’s support line, said Macmillan had seen a ‘substantial’ rise in the number of calls from cancer patients worried about their finances since Covid-19 started
‘Further to the calls we are already receiving, we expect to see a significant increase in demand for our services over the coming months as government schemes are withdrawn or changed.
‘Additionally, the considerable backlog in cancer services created by the pandemic means that many may be diagnosed late or have experienced delays to their treatment. As these people receive their diagnoses or their treatment resumes, we know that finances can become peoples’ biggest worry – sometimes more so than their diagnosis itself.’
The boss of Macmillan is equally all too aware of the financial toll a cancer diagnosis can trigger.
Lynda Thomas, chief executive at Macmillan Cancer Support, said: ‘At Macmillan, we hear from people living with cancer every day who are desperately worried about their finances – from worrying about paying their mortgage or putting food on the table, to holding off on switching the heating on when they need it and sitting at home chilled to their bones.
‘It’s no exaggeration to say that receiving the life-changing news that you have cancer, for some people, is nothing short of a financial wrecking-ball.’
This post first appeared on Dailymail.co.uk
