Hebridean Men's Cancer Support Group

2 days ago

Some of you may be aware of the threat to withdraw funding for an essential service, the Macmillan Welfare Benefits Service. Below is our letter to Macmillan asking them to think again!!

Angus writes:
The Macmillan Benefits Service is one of the best services offered to people diagnosed with cancer. It is invaluable to men diagnosed with cancer in the Western Isles on whose behalf I write to you. Being told that you have cancer is quite devastating. Having an officer skilled in dealing with benefits to speak with removes, or at least diminishes, the financial concerns associated with a cancer diagnosis. This is particularly pertinent here in the Western Isles where a cancer diagnosis invariably means many trips to mainland hospital care.

Your email of 24 April which proposes the cessation of this service is a devastating blow to the community which cares for people who contract cancer. What is Macmillan about if it is not the practical care of cancer sufferers? And that you would diminish this service whilst advertising for corporate posts within Macmillan at salaries up to £119,000 per year astounds me.

I think that Macmillan needs to redress its position within its structure and use its resources to support those services which directly benefit cancer sufferers such as our Welfare Benefits Officers. Here in the Western Isles, there were 194 referrals last year which provided for cancer sufferers £1,000,069.80 of support. Part of that support came from HMCSG but without the Welfare Benefits Officer from Macmillan we might never know of the men requiring our help. The work between our Macmillan Benefits Officer, Western Isles Cancer Care Initiative and Hebridean Mens Cancer Support Group is a very successful cooperative effort in support of cancer sufferers. It is disgraceful that Macmillan is thinking of removing such a valuable and effective service.

The Western Isles has a reputation second to none for its capacity to raise significant sums of money for Macmillan on an annual basis. The removal of Macmillan Benefits Officer support is a churlish way to reward the sterling efforts of our fund raisers.

Yours faithfully

Cllr Angus McCormack
Chair, HMCSG ... See MoreSee Less