Naas Man Calls For Change In Upcoming Budget As Cancer Patients Are Struggling Financially

The Irish Cancer Society are calling on the Government to cut the costs and fund the National Cancer Strategy In Budget 2025.

"The harsh reality of it is that [cancer] is in one in two of us, and we're all gonna be directly affected by it. So going forward from this day, if we can make a change in the budget, I feel like it will benefit everybody".

A Naas cancer patient has shared his experienced of financial struggles following his diagnosis of a rare blood cancer earlier this year.

On July 15th, 27-year-old and father-of-two Nathan Nash was diagnosed with anaplastic large cell lymphoma, a rare form on non-Hodgkin lymphoma that affects cells called T lymphocytes.

Speaking on this morning's Kildare Today, Nathan said the only "symptom" he had was persistent back pain, which was not even a real symptom of his cancer.

He was misdiagnosed twice by doctors, which said his back pain was caused by muscular pain, to which he was given muscle relaxants.

Eventually, blood tests were taken as his pain did not ease, and two tumours were found on his vertebrae.

Since then, he has had to grapple with the financial implication of his diagnosis, including mounting hospital parking fees and being declined a medical card.

Nathan and his family

The Irish Cancer Society is urging the Government to cut the costs and fund the National Cancer Strategy in the upcoming budget.

Families affected by cancer are struggling to make ends meet, with households affected seeing an average loss of income of over €1,500 per month, over €18,000 over the course of the year.

At the same time, day-to-day costs remain, like mortgages or rent, and additional expenses emerge for things like transport, medicines, wigs, parking, childcare etc.

For Nathan, he was signed off from working as a plumber on the day of his diagnosis in July, and if all goes well, he is due to return to work in February 2025.

"My wife has had to become my carer and can only work 17.5 hours a week. I worked full-time for 11 years before this. I never asked for any of this to happen and it’s been a shock to everyone" said Nathan.

Nathan's wife can only work 17.5 hours a week, as she is applying for the carer's benefit to which she has still not been approved for.

In the past week, Nathan has been to the hospital four times, amounting to a cost of €60 for parking alone.

The cost of daily medication also adds to Nathan and his family's financial strain.

"There's a lot of people out there [that spend] €80 a month, and on reduced income like me, it's still a lot of money.

"I just feel like there needs to be more done; we need to be given medical cards on diagnosis".

Initially, Nathan was not entitled to a medical card.

He applied for an emergency medical card, but that was declined.

After appealing it, it was denied once again on the basis that Nathan's income before he was diagnosed with cancer was too high.

Nathan noted that that income was from when he was working full-time and was fit and healthy.

"On the 15th of July, my world was turned upside down and they let me down in that sense".

Nathan once again appealed, and finally received a medical card this week, but believes it may have been because of him "making a bit of noise" about the requirements needed for a medical card.

Speaking on receiving his medical card, Nathan said: "It's three months too late for me, and I just want to make a change for any cancer patient.

"The harsh reality of it is that it's in one in two of us, and we're all gonna be directly affected by it. So going forward from this day, if we can make a change in the budget, I feel like it will benefit everybody".