After a diagnosis of cancer, money should not be your concern THEPROFESSIONALS

Richard Pugh, head of partnerships for Macmillan Cancer Support in Wales, outlines some of the support that you can access as a cancer sufferer

DEALING with the emotional and physical impacts of cancer is one thing. Trying to do so while worrying about how you are going to pay your bills is another.

The reality is that more and more people are being diagnosed with cancer, and a growing number of those people are still of working age and may have dependents.

We are also still in the throes of a global pandemic, one that will continue to have a very significant impact on our economy and people’s financial security for many years to come.

No matter what your personal circumstances are, cancer is not something you can save for and many people find that money is the next biggest worry after the shock of their cancer diagnosis.

This means that even with all the pressures created by this pandemic, Wales’ cancer care services must find a way of offering the individual and personalised support that people need.

Our care services must be able to respond in a way that acknowledges that the worries of people with cancer will often be far wider than their treatment alone.

That is why, over many years, Macmillan Cancer Support in Wales has invested in a nationwide network of welfare benefits advisers.

It is an investment we are proud of, and one that now more than ever is making a huge difference when it comes to taking some of the pressure off people affected by cancer in Wales.

During 2020 alone, Macmillan gave 1,967 people more than £620,000 in hardship grants.

This means that people with a cancer diagnosis were able to pay for basic home comforts and essentials, such as heating their home, travel to hospital appointments, bedding and clothing.

These grants are available to eligible people living with cancer in Wales who are facing financial difficulty and they are there thanks to donations from the public.

Our Macmillan grants are means-tested, one-off payments of £350 aimed at helping people living with cancer on low incomes.

At Macmillan, we know that more than a third of people with cancer (39%) are severely financially impacted by their diagnosis.

In response to this, our hardship grants offer a vital source of support, especially when so many cancer patients have had to shield at home during consecutive lockdowns, by paying for things like energy bills through what has felt like a very long winter indeed.

We expect our grants to continue to be a vital safety net for many, as people will need to deal with the double blow of a cancer diagnosis and the continued financial impact of the pandemic.

Our support also doesn’t stop with our hardship grants, as over the years our welfare benefits services have also helped people with cancer in Wales to access millions in the financial support they are entitled to because of their illness.

From housing benefit to help people affected by cancer to keep a roof over their heads, to explaining a complex welfare benefits system to so many people who have never needed to use it before, Macmillan’s advisers work to reduce financial anxiety.

So if you are struggling to meet the extra costs of cancer, please seek financial advice and support as early as you can.

If you are a professional involved in cancer care, please let people know about our services and the support that is available. We really can help to take some of the pressure off.

Coping with the sheer worry of a cancer diagnosis while panicking over how you are going to put food on the table, heat your home or keep a roof over your head just doesn’t bear thinking about.

That is why we are also calling on the next Welsh Government to make sure that cancer care in the future continues to offer the personalised and individual care people need.

This must include making sure that every cancer patient is routinely signposted to welfare benefits advice from the earliest stage of their diagnosis and before they meet a financial crisis.

To find out more about Macmillan grants, including who can apply, call the Macmillan Support Line on 0808 808 00 00 (open seven days a week) and talk to the Macmillan Welfare Rights Team. Or visit macmillan.org. uk/grants.

The Macmillan Support Line also has specially trained nurses and cancer information specialists who can provide information and advice, as well as emotional support, to help people with cancer cope with the additional strain of the coronavirus pandemic.

Macmillan is only a phone call away and we are waiting to help you.