Cancer charity teams up with Warwick district Citizen’s Advice Bureau

Thankfully, there is help out there. Macmillan Cancer Support has teamed up with the Warwick district branch of the Citizens Advice Bureau to create a benefits and welfare rights advice service for cancer patients, as well as those with motor neurone disease and heart failure.

And because the team at the branch’s office in Hamilton Terrace, Leamington, know how vital this Macmillan-funded support is, they are only too pleased to do their bit for this year’s World’s Biggest Coffee Morning campaign run by the charity.

Case officer Hudha Chowdhury, along with two colleagues, has been working for the service since it was set up in October last year. She said: “We give people advice on housing, debt, benefits and income maximisation and go out to see clients at the hospital, hospice, their home, here or talk to them over the phone.

“People may have worked all their lives and had to stop after being diagnosed because of the treatment they need to receive. They are likely to have worries about money and paying their rent.

“They might have added costs, for example getting to the hospital and paying for parking. They might have lost a lot of weight and need a new wardrobe or they may have higher heating bills because their treatment might mean they feel the cold more.

“We get a lot of clients who don’t know they are entitled to benefits.”

Miss Chowdhury and her team have already begun planning what treats they are going to bake for their coffee morning, which will take place throughout the day at the CAB office on Tuesday September 20, when other CAB staff and volunteers will be encouraged to tuck in and donate.

Anyone can organise a coffee morning or alternative event to support the campaign. To sign up or for more details, call 0845 602 1246 or visit www.macmillan.org.uk/coffee

For advice from Macmillan’s service at the CAB, call 457912.