Keynsham man calls for financial support after being left 'floored' following cancer diagnosis

  • Watch Harvey Marcus explain to ITV News' Max Walsh how his cancer diagnosis placed a financial burden on his family

A cancer patient from Keynsham is calling for better access to financial support for critically ill people after having to work full-time and have chemotherapy at the same time.

Harvey Marcus said he and his wife, Jules Chappell, were "floored" after he was diagnosed with leukaemia two years ago.

He said it forced his family to drastically cut costs and navigate a "nightmare" and "hidden benefits system".

Harvey said: "It sort of floored us really because it was completely out of the blue.

"I went straight into chemotherapy so everything just happened at 100 miles per hour - I was off work for a year.

"I’ve met so many people that are going through treatments in chemotherapy wards that were having to go back to work like we’re having to do the treatment and work at the same time."

Harvey was diagnosed with leukaemia two years ago. Credit: Harvey Marcus and Jules Chappell.

Harvey went in for an intense period of chemotherapy after collapsing at home.

He later underwent a stem cell transplant, affecting his immune system and making it impossible for him to work.

Jules said: "It was just about the time of the cost of living crisis really starting to kick in as well.

"I had to go back to work full-time but I was working part-time because we’ve got small children.

"One of the hardest moments for me was thinking ‘can I still afford to pay for the kids’ swimming?’ which sounds really silly.

"I appreciate that it is a big luxury but actually you feel like such an awful parent for even having to think about having to stop those activities."

Harvey was put on sick pay by his employer which was reduced after six months - and he is grateful for their ongoing support but he says their financial worries put his young family under enormous pressure.

The couple eventually accessed a benefit known as Employment Support Allowance.

Harvey Marcus, Jules Chappell, and their children. Credit: Harvey Marcus and Jules Chappell.

Jules said: "It’s actually quite a hidden benefit so we only found out about it because Harvey had some counselling through Macmillan.

"They suggested that we have a benefits assessment which we hadn’t thought about because I was still working."

The charity Anthony Nolan, which helped organise Harvey’s transplant, says more people with critical illnesses are struggling financially.

Head of policy and public affairs at Anthony Nolan, Yasmin Sheikh, said 63% of people the chairity spoke to had struggled to be able to afford nutritious food in the past 12 months and 27% had struggled to pay their rent or their mortgage.

"Lots of people call us to tell us about some of the difficulties that we’re facing with their finances during their treatment."

A spokesperson for the Department for Work and Pensions said: “No one should suffer financial hardship because of a health condition, which is why we are reforming Statutory Sick Pay as part of the Employment Rights Bill to offer better support and improve health outcomes."