Norfolk cancer patient unable to work struggled with bills

Laura was with her daughter when she finished her chemotherapy treatment and her prognosis is now good

A mother-of-two left unable to work after breast cancer treatment has told how she was left struggling to afford food and rent.

Laura, from Aylsham, Norfolk, was only eligible for statutory sick pay because she had only been in her new job for three months.

She "just cried" with relief when she was given £350 from Macmillan Cancer Support after she called them for help.

It meant she could pay her bills before her universal credit was arranged.

Laura, a mother-of-two, has undergone surgery, chemotherapy and radiotherapy for breast cancer treatment

Once her chemotherapy started, Laura, 50, said she was too unwell to work.

"I thought I would be able to [work], you have no idea how much it knocks you until you are there.

"Your whole life revolves around doctors, hospitals, blood test, chemotherapy, getting people to take you there, it's really though."

Because she had only just started her job she was only entitled to about £99 per week.

"It was stomach dropping - how am I going to pay my rent? How am I going to get food into the house?

"All of a sudden it was too much."

"I used to be a runner and had completed the London marathon the year before lockdown" Laura said

She said she tried to research online what help she could access.

After calling Macmillan Cancer Support the money showed up in her bank account the next day.

"I can't thank Macmillan enough, I want to give back", she said.

So on Saturday she will walk 26 miles in the Norfolk Coast for Macmillan challenge.

Despite still suffering from numbness, fatigue and pins and needles from her treatment she said "of course I'm going to do it".

Joy Moulton, Macmillan partnership manager for Norfolk and Waveney, said: "There is a common misconception that Macmillan donations are used solely to fund specialist cancer nurses and other frontline healthcare roles."

She said donated money was spent on nursing roles as well as its free, national support line.