'ARE YOU WAITING FOR ME TO DIE?'
Terminal cancer patient tells of exasperating battle with benefits officials over vital payment
A WOMAN suffering from terminal breast and bone cancer has told of her anguish over battlling for five months to get benefit payments she is entitled to.
Donna Wickers, 57, pictured, accused bureaucrats of waiting for her to die so they would not have to pay.
A WOMAN with terminal breast and bone cancer who may only have a year to live has accused the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) of ‘waiting for her to die’ after waiting nearly five months for her Personal Independence Payment (PIP) application to be processed.
The payment is an additional benefit to help ‘with some of the extra costs’ if a person has long term ill-health or disability.
Donna Wickers, 57, said: ‘During my last phone call about my application I told them “are you waiting for me to die so you don’t have to pay out”.’
After being advised by her GP she should be eligible for an urgent approval due to her terminal prognosis, Donna was told by the DWP this was not the case as ‘it was not clear whether she had more than six months to live’.
Donna then submitted the appropriate forms and evidence on August 25 of last year and was told it would be processed within eight weeks.
Donna said: ‘ Each time I called I was constantly told it should be processed in another couple of weeks and when I called last week I was assured it was a priority.
‘Time is of the essence - I don’t have time to wait. I had a heart attack in October and then just last week I had a nose bleed which wouldn’t stop and I thought I would have to go back into hospital.
Donna first took ill after collapsing in March and was told she had just four weeks to live. However radiotherapy and subsequent treatments have improved her original prognosis.
She said: ‘I had a scan in July last year and they said the cancer had stabilised and forecast I may have up to two years left. I want to live as long as possible but I know it’s going to get me in the end.’
The payments would allow Donna ‘to make the most of my time left’ and allow her to concentrate on her health and ‘not have to worry about other things like bills and replacing my washing machine which is on its last legs’.
Donna also wants to use the payments to help save for her funeral arrangements.
‘I want to get everything in place so my son doesn’t have to worry about it. The money can also be used to help pay for my care with things like hoists and wheelchairs as my condition deteriorates,’ said Donna.
Determined to continue to enjoy life, Donna has made a bucket list which she hopes the payments will help her achieve.
She added: ‘The payments would be really beneficial in allowing me to do some of things I want to tick off before I die. I’ve always wanted to go to the Isle of Wight but have never been and I would like to stay at a B&B in Cornwall. I would also like to give myself a treat of a spa weekend.
‘I’ve been housebound since the start of the pandemic as I’m extremely vulnerable but hopefully I will get the chance to do these things when the pandemic ends.’
Donna’s friend Sue Ashton, 58, said: ‘ Donna’s treatment has been an absolute disgrace and if I had the money to help her I would have given it to her myself.’
After being contacted by The News a representative from DWP contacted Donna the following day and confirmed her application has now been approved and that she will receive a payment of £605 every four weeks which will be back dated to the date of her initial claim on August 25.
Donna said: ‘I feel really relived that I will receive this payment and it will make a big difference to my quality of life.’