Call for help after boy's cancer led to costly expenses

The family travelled more than 75 miles for Artie's cancer treatment

A family who travelled 75 miles almost every week while their son was being treated for a brain tumour are calling for more support to cover costs associated with long hospital stays.

Artie was diagnosed with a cancerous brain tumour at four-years-old.

He spent 12 weeks in Bristol Children's Hospital resulting in his family being forced to pay travel and other expenses on top of their normal household bills.

The government said it will provide financial support to help cover costs.

Artie, who lives near Yeovil, was diagnosed with medulloblastoma, a primary central nervous system tumour.

He had visited Yeovil Hospital for checks but was taken immediately by ambulance to Bristol Children's Hospital once they realised what was wrong.

His mum, Lauren, said they did not have time to pack and found themselves having to pay out for supplies.

Artie was diagnosed with a cancerous brain tumour and spent 12 weeks in Bristol Children's Hospital

"When we first went up to Bristol, we just basically had the clothes on our back," Lauren said.

"Luckily the shops are really close by, but we had to go and buy new clothes, pyjamas, underwear, toothbrush, toothpaste.

"It all adds up, and then you have to eat."

The family stayed in Bristol for 12 weeks before Artie was discharged, and spent the next nine months travelling back and forth for Artie's radiotherapy and chemotherapy treatments.

Lauren said it was a struggle to find the money for fuel, parking and food and whilst still having bills to pay for at home.

"Once you get used to your situation you think, oh we've got the council tax coming out this week, the car insurance needs doing, meanwhile you've basically had to move to Bristol," she said.

"We work hard and even so, everything we earn is spoken for, so when you have something like this happen out of the blue... it comes to the end of the month and you wonder how you are going to pay for everything."

The family said they now want to see more help given to others going through similar situations.

A petition was recently handed in at Downing Street

Charity Young Lives vs Cancer recently handed in a petition to Downing Street after receiving more than 11,500 signatures on their call for a patient travel fund.

"[Parents] have been telling us about travel costs for years and years, and no-one's listening in the wider decision making system," said Sonia Malik, head of policy and influencing at the charity.

"Children and young people's cancer is different from adult cancer, they're treated as specialist centres which are far from home. So it means that travel is necessary.

"If you're an adult, having cancer is also, of course, very traumatic and difficult, but you will at least most likely be going to your local hospital for treatment or somewhere nearby. So you don't have all those extra costs of traveling across the country."

Apply for help

A government spokesperson said: "We know people are struggling, which is why we're bearing down on inflation and providing record financial support worth an average £3,300 per household."We are capping bus and rail fares and people on low incomes can apply for help with their health costs through the NHS Low Income Scheme."

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