"I was diagnosed with grade 2 breast cancer on 24
February 2022. I was 45. Hearing those words
'it's cancer' was like being kicked in the guts.
I began seeing Lynne, a Macmillan Counsellor
every other week. Lynne was wonderful. She
really helped me to process my muddled
emotions. She reassured me that what I was
feeling was totally normal and that I wasn't alone.
Financially, cancer has not been kind to me.
Being diagnosed with cancer during a cost of
living crisis feels like we're running just to stay
still. Since I got cancer, we can't afford to turn
the central heating on. I get cold because of
tamoxifen and just have to hide under lots of
blankets.
Macmillan has helped me keep my head above
water by providing us with a one-off grant. This
was a lifesaver. We used it to help keep afloat bill
wise and it's meant we've been able to keep our
house. A Macmillan Benefits Advisor also helped
me to apply for benefits I had no idea I was
entitled to.
I can honestly say hand on heart, that without
the help of Macmillan I don't know how I would
have got through this far. Knowing that help and
advice is but a phone call away is a great comfort
and what I like to call a mental health safety net."
What did life look like
for people living with
cancer in 2023?
We estimate there are currently more than three
million people living with cancer in the UK. Sal,
aged 48 from Lancashire is one of them. A cancer
diagnosis can be an extremely difficult time
and affect every aspect of someone's life, and
Macmillan's ambition is to be there for everyone
living with cancer to provide physical, emotional
and financial support.
2023 saw many moments of medical
advancements, innovation and hope, however
challenges in the external environment including
the ongoing cost of living crisis, increasing
pressures on the NHS, worsening waiting times
for diagnosis and treatment, and stark health
inequities also adversely impacted many people
with cancer's outcomes and experiences.
Everyone with cancer has the right to access
timely treatment and care that's right for them
and to live well with and beyond cancer, and
Macmillan is there every step of the way.
Sal's story
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