Hey friends,
So obviously this one isn’t video game related or indeed related to any of my usually content. Sorry about that! But the advantage of having my own site is that I can do stuff like this.
I’ve set up a Go Fund Me page for a close family friend who suffers from two different types of cancer. She’s terminal. It could be days, months or maybe even years. She reckons as long as she can watch Netflix and get out the house for some food at the local cafe then it’s worth hanging on.
Below I’ve copied and pasted her story as I wrote it on the Go Fund Me. She doesn’t want to be named, and I’m going to respect that, but she does need help, so if you spare a few coins to help her pay the bills while the battles the UK’s horrendous benefit system then I would deeply appreciate your help.
Here’s the link to the campaign: https://www.gofundme.com/f/support-a-terminal-cancer-patient
“She was first diagnosed with breast cancer and a rare form of genetic cancer called BRCA about 4 years ago. After a lengthy fight and having both breasts removed she was told it was beaten. At least for the time being.
Then a year ago both cancer’s returned. She refused treatment because
the chemotherapy from the first fight destroyed her body, and even with
treatment the doctors said that the chances for this second case were
practically zero. She was classed as terminal.
She worked through the first battle with cancer, continuing her
career as a self-employed hairdresser. And when the cancer came back she
kept working as well. She carried on working until a blood clot in her
leg left her incapacitated. Between the clot and the cancer her health
went downhill rapidly, so she was unable to work for a long period of
time. She contacted the relevant departments to inform the government
that she couldn’t currently work and was told to continue claiming
working tax credits, so she did. A few months later she was forced to
give up working entirely as her health dropped again, leaving her
skinny, tired and sore. She currently takes heavy doses of morphine and
is having various health problems, including constant infections in her
teeth due to weakened immune system. Her sight has also deteriorated
quite badly, again a side effect of the chemo.
Since being
diagnosed the UK government and its benefit system has proved a
disaster. After realizing she would have to stop working entirely she
phoned up to ask about benefits and was told that she needed to apply
for Universal Credit. After doing so, she was refused because she had
been in receipt of working tax credits. Once that was dealt with which
took several more weeks she appealed to the decision and was granted
Universal Credit.
Despite following their instructions and being
told that everything would be fast-tracked through the system owning to
doctor’s stating she had less than 6-months left she didn’t get any
money for two months, which has left her in debt. For example, she
couldn’t pay the bill for her two children’s phones, and so the company
is now hounding her with debt collectors.
Now that her benefits
have been awarded the problems continue: they’ve failed to pay the rent
several times, again leaving her in debt and facing potential eviction.
Back payment she is owed for the first two months has never been paid.
Now the benefit’s system has told her she owes them thousands in
overpayment of working tax credits for the period in which was unable to
work, despite them being the ones that told her to continue claiming.
She now has to attended a hearing/court case to dispute the matter,
despite being unable to drive, having bad health and struggling to
concentrate due to morphine she would have to take to manage to journey.
On top of that, the housing benefit department has also declared she
owes them money, too, and has began taking their cut.
At the moment she’s struggling to pay bills, and get decent meals.
Going out to eat has been a highlight for her as it gets her out of the
house, but the lack of funds has put a stop to that. The benefit’s
system is supposed to help people like her, but so far it has caused her
nothing but stress. A terminal patient shouldn’t have to worry about
things like this in 2019, and yet here we are.
In short, she needs some help to get debt collector’s off her back,
to pay the rent, to get some food and generally just try to enjoy some
of life for however long she has left. Any help you would be willing to
offer would be truly and deeply appreciated. Even a little amount would
help stave everything off until the hearing where everything can
hopefully, finally be sorted out.
Thank you very much for taking the time to read this. I know it’s a lot to ask people to donate money to someone who isn’t even comfortable being named, but all I can tell you is she’s a hell of a woman who has kept fighting, and is determined to still be around in years to come. Like she said, if she can keep watching Netflix and going down to the local cafe for some food, then she’ll be happy. “
