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Service easing load for Leeds cancer sufferers
Coping with cancer is difficult enough, but money worries can add to the burden even more.
That's the situation Steve and Glennis Prout found themselves in last year.
Mr Prout was undergoing treatment for bladder cancer when he was made redundant from his job.
Having never been out of work before, he was baffled by paperwork and
what he could claim.
Macmillan Cancer Support came to the rescue as one of their welfare rights workers explained what the couple were entitled to.
Mr Prout, from Morley, said: "It was a great help because you have got enough on your plate already.
"A lot of people think Macmillan is just about nursing, they think once Macmillan is called in it's the end of life, which is completely wrong."
The 64-year-old was diagnosed with bladder cancer last year and his treatment included chemotherapy and three operations.
Just before the third, he was made redundant from his job with a security fencing firm.
That left the couple, who have five daughters and 12 grandchildren, worried about their finances until they were referred to Macmillan's welfare rights team.
"You have enough to worry about, worrying about the cancer, but then when you have got financial worries on top of that, it's another thing," Mrs Prout said.
"Jane Tidd came to see us and she was brilliant.
"She helped us to claim what we were entitled to and helped us fill in the forms."
Two Macmillan welfare rights workers are part of Leeds City Council's welfare rights team offering advice on all benefits, as well as helping with grant applications and referring to other organisations.
Anyone affected by cancer who lives in Leeds can access the service, which is free and impartial.
Tracey Parsons, one of the advice workers, said in the 12 months up to March 2010 they helped more than 1,700 people to access 3.2m in benefits.
Following the help they got from Macmillan, Mr and Mrs Prout wanted to give something back to the charity.
For the second year running they will hold an event as part of the World's Biggest Coffee Morning, which is supported by the Yorkshire Evening Post.
This year it takes place on Friday, September 24 and the charity is hoping 40,000 will be raised in Leeds to help provide support like the Macmillan welfare rights workers.
* To register to host a coffee morning, visit www.macmillan.org.uk/coffee or call 0845 602 1246.
katie.baldwin@ypn.co.uk
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Friday 10 February 2012
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