Parents ‘bankrolling thousands of middle-aged cancer victims’

THOUSANDS OF middle-aged people with cancer are forced to borrow money from their parents to cover their living costs during treatment.

Expenses such as hospital transport and loss of earnings typically amount to around £570 a month, according to Macmillan Cancer Support. More than 30,000 cancer patients in their 40s and 50s have taken out loans from the “bank of mum and dad” and around 2,000 moved back in with their parents or in-laws to make ends meet, the charity has found.

Terry Whitewas almost lost his house and was forced to borrow £2,000 in addition to claiming benefits after he was diagnosed with non-Hodgkin lymphoma.

The 56-year-old, from Nottinghamshire, said: “It got so bad that I had to borrow £2,000 from my 78-year old parents.

“It was deeply embarrassing that at this time in my life I was going cap-in-hand to ask for their support.”

Lynda Thomas, Chief Executive of Macmillan Cancer Support, called on the Government, health care professionals, banks and insurance companies to do more to support people with the disease. A Government spokesman said: “Cancer can affect all areas of a person’s life and we have worked closely with cancer charities to ensure patients get all the support they need, including through our benefits system.

“Last year we announced that by 2020 everyone diagnosed with cancer in England will benefit from an individually tailored recovery package developed by Macmillan Cancer Support, which helps ensure patients get rehabilitation, work and financial support services.”