Grants of more than £17,000 have been handed out to help people living with cancer in Huntingdonshire over the past year.

The hardship grants from Macmillan Cancer Support meant that 58 people with cancer were able to pay for essentials such as heating their homes, travel to hospital appointments, bedding and clothing.

Around 253 people were supported across Cambs in total.

Sarah Whiteman, 37, from Kimbolton, is primary carer to her husband Michael, 40, who is living with incurable brain cancer.

The mum-of-four says she would have been “at a loss” without the help of a Macmillan adviser to navigate the welfare benefits system and apply for a grant.

“The consultant has been arranging Michael’s chemotherapy treatment and keeping us up to speed with what’s going on scan-wise, but we don’t talk about the other parts of our lives with them,” Sarah explained.

“It’s been Macmillan that has looked into every benefit we’re entitled to and helped us to sort them all, even helping us to appeal the sudden cancellation of our Universal Credit payments.

“I didn’t know about the Macmillan grant until the lady helping me told me about it, and once she’d submitted the forms for me, it was approved and in my bank account after seven days, just as she said it would be. It was fantastic.”

Michael lost a lot of weight while he was in hospital for surgery and on returning home found that all of his clothes were too big.

The grant allowed the family to buy him new clothes and helped him to feel better in himself.

Macmillan grants are means-tested, one-off payments of £350 aimed at helping people living with cancer on low incomes.

Many of the grants were accessed with the help of the Macmillan Welfare Rights team at Central Bedfordshire Council.

Trained advisers help people with cancer and their carers to navigate the benefits system and understand the state and other monetary support that their age, diagnosis and living circumstances might entitle them to.

If you have cancer and live in Peterborough or Huntingdonshire - or are receiving your care at either Hinchingbrooke or Peterborough City Hospitals - you can find out more about Macmillan grants and the financial support available by calling the Central Bedfordshire Macmillan Welfare Rights team on 0300 300 8145 (Monday-Friday, 9am – 5pm) or emailing macmillan@centralbedfordshire.gov.uk to make an appointment.