Mario

After Mario was diagnosed with non-Hodgkin lymphoma|, he became too ill to run his restaurant and began struggling financially. However, his Macmillan nurse, Pat, helped him apply for a Macmillan Grant and supported him through some very difficult times.

‘I lost my income and I didn’t know what I was going to do,’ Mario explains. ‘It was very scary – there was a point when I could’ve been homeless. Pat and the Macmillan Grant took some of that worry away for me.’

And now he’s in remission, Mario’s started volunteering alongside Pat at his local Macmillan information and support centre. He's even won an award for his tremendous efforts.

He says, ‘Because of what Pat did for me, I wanted to give something back to Macmillan. When I finished treatment, I felt alone because I was so used to the routine it gives you, but volunteering has given me a new purpose.

‘As I’ve been through cancer myself, I find that I can really empathise with people as I’ve had a lot of the same concerns. Recently, I was also very honoured to receive an award given to volunteers who have themselves had a cancer experience. For someone to take the time to put me forward meant an awful lot.’

Find out how we can help| with financial worries or order free information from be.Macmillan.
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