Suffolk: Extra financial burden on cancer patients revealed
Cost of cancer revealed
FOUR in five cancer patients are hit with an average cost of £570 a month as a result of their illness, a charity has warned.
The amount is around the same as the average monthly mortgage payment, Macmillan Cancer Support said.
As the economic crisis bites people living with cancer have to cope with additional financial burdens such as expensive hospital travel costs and increased fuel bills as a result of treatment.
Last year in Suffolk Macmillan gave more than 300 people financial help of £83,002.
As well as having to cover extra costs, one in three cancer patients are losing on average £860 a month in earnings because they are unable to work or have had to cut down their hours.
Travelling to appointments, car parking fees for hospital appointments, fuel bills and over the counter prescription medicines are among the extra costs incurred by cancer patients.
Carol Fenton, Macmillan Cancer Support general manager said: “This new research shows that cancer comes with a whopping price tag for many patients. Combined with the current recession and with welfare cuts, the cost of the disease is hitting the most vulnerable hardest.”
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To find out more about financial support visit www.macmillan.org.uk/financialsupport or call 0808 8080000 to speak to an advisor.
