A few weeks ago Macmillan campaigns asked me whether we would support them in their Fuel Poverty Campaign, to which I agreed. The reason I said I would be more than willing to help is because not only have we had to fight to fit into the welfare system but I see so many others with cancer having to struggle to get help with the cost of having cancer, both physically and financially and that makes me so angry and hurt. I do not think it is right that people who are faced with this or any other chronic long term illness needs to be worrying about how they are going to keep warm this winter, and where the money is going to come from. When people lose their jobs to illness they lose at least 50% of their household income but their outgoings do not decrease, if anything they increase due to the medical needs, the cost of getting to hospitals, the special diets, the new clothing due to weight loss etc etc The last thing they need is to be scared to put the heating on, or to do the extra laundry. So when Macmillan told me that they are campaigning for all cancer patients to be given the winter fuel allowance, I agreed to help holdheartedly. This money would be a great burden being relieved on those dealing with this illness, an illness that is known to cause a person to feel the cold more than any normal person.
So what a week we have had. The BBC in our area contacted us as we where coming out of the hospice on Tuesday and said that they where on their way to our home. A reporter and a camera lady turned up an hour later and they did their interview, took lots of shots and generally made us feel at as much ease as they could - we are usually very private people and this was hard for us to do. My 17 yr old son was swooning at how lovely they both were, and laughing hysterically at how old and daft his parents were - nice eeh?
They told us it would go out that night at 6.30pm and off they went. Well you can imagine our kids, they thought it was so funny, and we had to drag ourselves into the lounge to watch it with one eye closed. Turned out not to be as bad as we both thought it would be for which we were relieved, but then the phone started ringing and it went on ringing until Thursday. What, between family who haven't seen us for a while calling to say how sorry they felt for us and how ill we both looked, also nice, to the newspapers from all over our area calling to do interviews. I ended up not answering the phone as it was so tiring and we ended up just wanting to hide.
I am glad we did it as it brought to light just one of the issues we all go through whilst struggling with this illness but I never realised it would be all out press and for two people who have become very private over the years of dealing with cancer it was very hard to cope with. But it is done now and I can only pray that our government actually listens to Macmillan and its supporters and does something about the inequities of the welfare system. If not for us then for those that come after us as no one should have to feel like they must beg for help at a time of such crisis. Macmillan are asking that people sign their pledge for this campaign and to anyone reading this then please do it, it could make just a little difference to those in need.
Love to all
Ray
