DONEGAL families relying on a hardship fund from a national charity say they have been left ‘heartbroken’ after funds were pulled today.
The Irish Cancer Society – supported here in the county through various events including Relay For Life – says it simply can no longer afford the fund.
One local family which has used the fund said they were ‘heartbroken’ by the decision.
The grants, averaging €500, help cover the cost of accommodation for relatives of people battling cancer in Dublin hospitals.
“As a charity, which is funded over 90% by the public, we have found ourselves unable to meet the huge growth in demand for financial support from cancer patients,” the spokeswoman said.
“Closing the financial support programme was a difficult choice to make, but against the background of a drop in fundraised income in 2015, we were forced to choose between the free and unique services which we provide to patients, and the financial support fund, demand for which was growing at a rate which could have put our free services at risk.”
The charity said it will continue to support financially struggling cancer patients with advice on other government and voluntary schemes.
It will hit rural families hardest – especially those having to travel to Dublin from Donegal.
“Everything else has to be paid, just because Caoimhe is sick, life doesn’t stop. The grant is only a drop in the ocean, but a drop in the ocean helps,” said Edel Costigan who used a €1,000 hardship grant to pay for accommodation while her daughter Caoimhe (6) was receiving treatment for acute lymphatic leukaemia at Our Lady’s Hospital, Crumlin.
She told Joe Duffy in Liveline: “Just to have the ease, when you’re in the midst of a war basically, it does help. It’s called a hardship grant for a reason.”
“It’s going to be very, very tough for people [without the grant], especially if the treatmet isn’t going according to plan.”
