Met with OH’s cancer team yesterday for the first time (all lovely people) but we have just realised how much this is going to cost in terms of fuel.
The hospital is 40 miles away so 80 miles a day for 6 weeks the will cost somewhere in the region of £600 - does anyone know if we can claim any back? OH is on disability so money is tight and this will really hit us in the pocket. We don’t expect it all back but some would help.
Hello Rizzle
I am sorry to read of your OH's cancer diagnosis.
I can understand the worries regarding finances. I too was concerned with how I would manage financially after my diagnosis.
1)Can I recommend that you give the Support Line a call and ask to speak to one of the financial advisors? I had a lot of support from them and they were able to go through everything I was entitled to and were able to give me directions on how to claim. It may well be that there is something you could claim to help with the travel. It is not something I know but they would be able to find out for you. I was also given a one off grant from Macmillan which helped tremendously with the initial costs. The number for the Support line is at the bottom of this.
2) I was able to rely on family and friends during my surgery and chemotherapy treatments and was lucky that my hospital was not too far away. However when it got to the radiotherapy and going everyday for 5 weeks I did worry a lot about how to get there. My Macmillan support worker contacted Patient transport at my hospital who put me in touch with the Red Cross. Volunteer drivers picked me up from home each day and took me to hospital. They waited there and bought me home. I was allowed one person to accompany me from my family if I needed them. There was no cost to me. This may be worth looking into with your hospital. The volunteers I met didn't only go to the local hospital but also one of the regional ones.
I hope this helps a bit. I wish your OH the best for their treatment and hope that you can access some support so you can concentrate on the treatments rather than worrying about the finances. It's so difficult for lots of people right now and the Macmillan advisors will understand.
Jane
Hi Rizzle. It’s worth asking if there is hostel accommodation available too. I live a two hour journey from my hospital and was offered a place at one on site at the hospital. It was specifically for people getting radiotherapy. It might however not be your cup of tea and I certainly didn’t take it up.
I was offered patient transport but do check out how it works. Ours was a patient transport ambulance which picked up people en route and was very slow. It would have made my day even longer. By the last two weeks I largely dozed in the front seat of the car and I couldn’t imagine being able to do that in an ambulance.
I hope you can find a solution
Dani
Base of tongue cancer. T2N0M0 6 weeks Radiotherapy finished January 2019
