Jenny and Lesley talk about the cost of living and living with cancer

Macmillan were just there to support me - physically, emotionally and financially. This is especially important with cancer as it affects everyone around you, not just you as an individual.

If I hadn’t had been told about Macmillan Grants, I would have struggled. Especially because everything happened so quickly.

I don’t like to take any money that I’m not entitled to and am quite mindful of what I spend, but there was no time to budget for the additional expenses of cancer, like buying wigs and new clothes. 

When I found out about Macmillan Grants I just wanted to cry. How do you say thank you to someone who’s done that for you?

My adviser spent 2 to 3 hours on the phone whilst I gave her the information she needed for my PIP and grant application. She just thought of everything, and I knew if there was ever a problem, she would help me sort it out.

She asked if I needed her to speak to my housing adviser and explained how I could apply to get three months of rent paid. She has been an angel.

My Macmillan adviser was the first human being I managed to speak to on the phone about my claim, and the only reason I knew about her was because my Macmillan nurse at Addenbrooke’s had put us in touch.

I would read the Universal Credit forms and I was not able to understand what they were saying, due to the impact of my treatment.

I felt so stupid at times. I would usually always be the one sorting our affairs and suddenly I couldn’t physically, mentally do it.

When I found out from my Macmillan adviser that I could pay the rent in full and that most of my bills would be covered I just sat there and cried and sent her a message to say thank-you.