Monday 20 November 2023
A 澳门彩开奖 survey reveals nearly three quarters (74%) of people with cancer are more worried about the cost of Christmas this year than in previous years, with 30% of people saying they are a lot more worried about the forthcoming festive period.
The OnePoll* survey from Maggie鈥檚 also reveals that the three most emotionally challenging aspects of Christmas for people with cancer are:
Gemma, from Oxford, is 42 and a mum of two. She was diagnosed with bowel cancer just before Christmas in 2022. She said: 鈥淚t was a total shock. I had gone into hospital thinking I had a water infection, and I left with a stage 4 cancer diagnosis.
鈥淢y kids had their Christmas dinner last year with my daughter鈥檚 partner鈥檚 family because I spent it in hospital. When you have stage four cancer, you start to think about things that you might miss out on with your children.
鈥淢y kids tell me 鈥楳um, if you make it to Christmas, we will make it really special鈥, but it鈥檚 hard to plan what we will do because I don鈥檛 know if I will need more treatment and how it will affect me. With stage 4 cancer, there is no certainty.
鈥淐hristmas is an expensive time of year, and during a cost of living crisis, every penny counts. I tried to apply for benefits myself but I had never done it before, I didn鈥檛 know how it works and I didn鈥檛 have the time to waste. I spoke to Penny, the Benefits Advisor at Maggie鈥檚 Oxford, who was fantastic.
鈥淢aggie鈥檚 is tranquil. You step in and you feel like you are somewhere completely different. The hospital is one part of my journey, but emotionally, psychologically, Maggie鈥檚 is the other part of my journey.鈥
Maggie鈥檚 Chief Executive, Dame Laura Lee said: 鈥淚t is heart-breaking that so many people with cancer are worrying more about the cost of Christmas than ever before, when it should be a joyful time of year.
鈥淲orrying about whether this Christmas might be their last or about making Christmas still feel special for their children are normal emotions for someone living with cancer, and these are things we hear about a lot in our centres at this time of year.
鈥淲e can help. Anyone with cancer, as well as their family or friends, can come into one of our centres 鈥 whether it's to find a place to sit with their own thoughts and a cup of tea, or to access expert support from our psychologists or cancer support specialists. If it is money worries that people are concerned about, then people can speak with a benefits advisor.
鈥淚 would urge anyone feeling under pressure in the run-up to the holidays to visit their nearest Maggie鈥檚.鈥
Discover more tips on coping with Christmas while living with cancer here.
If you or someone you love has cancer and you are struggling in the run-up to this holiday season, 澳门彩开奖 is here to support you.
Our centres are located across the UK on the grounds of NHS hospitals, and our professional staff include psychologists, cancer support specialists and benefits advisors.
Last review: Nov 2023 | Next review: May 2024
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