Family hit by cancer calls for more financial support

Toby's mother and father said they struggled to work when Toby was in hospital

A family has called for more financial support from the government when children are diagnosed with cancer.

In 2022, Toby, then aged four, from the Forest of Dean in Gloucestershire, was diagnosed with leukaemia. His parents, Nikki and Oli, said they struggled with the extra costs of hospital parking and food.

"When you are worried for your child's life, you shouldn't be worried about 'can I pay the mortgage this month, can I pay the council tax, can I put food on the table'," Nikki said.

A spokesperson for the government said there are support programmes available and urged families to check they are receiving all the benefits they are eligible for.

Nikki, who is self-employed, said that when they were told Toby had leukaemia "it felt like somebody had punched me in the stomach".

"I screamed, and I remember it going very quiet in the other bays," she said.

"As soon as they said leukaemia, it was my worst nightmare, I was terrified we would lose him."

Toby is now in remission after treatment

After Toby was diagnosed, Nikki stopped working to look after him and the family went down to one salary instead of two.

"Our outgoings shot up, we were spending so much money on fuel to get to the hospital," she said.

"Parents don't get fed in the hospital, so we were relying on ready meals and takeaways to eat.

"Then when he came home, our bills were huge because we had to run the equipment to look after him."

'Keep the lights on'

Toby's father, Oli, said that getting a cancer diagnosis is an emotional experience but "there are practicalities that come with that".

"A fund to help families deal with those first few months would be amazing.

"Even something like a government-backed loan to make sure the lights stay on and there's food in the fridge as there's so much to think about," he added.

A family from Hertford are also campaigning for a new law to support parents of children who require lengthy hospital treatment.

Ceri and Frances Menai-Davis last week delivered a petition to Downing Street to ask for funding to be set aside in the upcoming autumn budget.

A spokesperson for the Department of Health and Social Care said: “Families of sick children come under huge pressure and there are support programmes available worth hundreds of pounds a week to help them through difficult times.

“We would urge families to check they are receiving all the benefits they are entitled to as well as additional support, which can help with transport, prescription and council tax costs.”