Daniel's the first person I've ever been close to that has battled cancer. I guess what I'd never really considered before was how difficult it must be to cope with all the normal day to day pressures of life, whilst having cancer at the same time.
Cancer or no cancer, you still need money to live and potentially you need even more money when you're travelling backwards and forwards to London for treatment every week! Daniel worked at care homes in South West London in a very physically demanding job before he was diagnosed. With the severity of his diagnosis and the frequency of his treatment there was absolutely no question of him being able to continue to work. Thankfully though, Daniel was one of the lucky ones (which seems a crazy thing to say about him in his current condition!). His employer were completely understanding and sympathetic and paid him in full for one whole year, despite the fact that he was unable to work in any kind of capacity. Their kindness has certainly taken a lot of pressure off of Daniel at what is already such a difficult time.
Being the charming guy that he is, Daniel has met and made friends with a number of people being treated alongside him and unfortunately he has discovered that the majority of them have not been as lucky as him. Some of the stories he has heard of employers behaving completely disgracefully towards people with such severe illnesses have made my blood boil! One guy was treated so appallingly and the effects were so devastating that he had to enlist specialists on cancer employment law to help him get what he was entitled to . . . but imagine going through all that when you're trying so desperately just to find the strength to get better! For those of you out there that are also struggling, there's some good information on work and cancer here.
Am I the only person that just finds it so unfair that you have to continue to deal with this stuff while facing the most colossal battle of your life?! I know I'm being unreasonable, but I just want the world to stop turning for these people, so that can concentrate on what's really important.
