Cancer patients borrowing in bid to cope with costs

FAMILIES in North Galway are struggling to cope with the financial impact of a cancer diagnosis added with the rising cost of living.

According to the Irish Cancer Society’s The Real Cost of Cancer report, more than 46,800 people are diagnosed with cancer in Ireland each year, while over 230,000 are living with or beyond the disease.

The report found that families may lose an average of €16,200 in annual income following a diagnosis.

One family living in Tuam, who spoke with The Tuam Herald, said they spend an average of €150 per week just on petrol and parking while travelling to Galway for treatment.

The father of five, who was the sole earner in the household, was diagnosed with cancer in April 2025.

Despite undergoing two surgeries to remove a tumour, the cancer has returned repeatedly and aggressively, leaving him unable to work for over a year.

The family was already facing financial pressures after one of their twin sons was born with a heart condition in December 2022 and required treatment in Children’s Health Ireland (CHI), Crumlin for more than a year.

“We were already struggling with the finances since our twin boy was born with a heart condition,” said the mother.

“We spent a lot of money staying in Dublin for his treatment and my husband kept ignoring the symptoms when they first appeared because of the financial situation,” she added.

The father has already been through two rounds of surgeries to remove the tumour and has lost his ability to speak or eat in the process.

“He wants to go back to work, but the cancer keeps coming back,” emphasised the mother.

The family of seven are now surviving on just under €700 a week provided through carer’s allowance to the mother and social welfare payment to the father.

However, this amount is not near enough for the family as they are also facing €1,000 a month in rent after Housing Assistance Payment (HAP) support and €150 a week in transport costs. They have three children in primary school and two children in creche.

“Our boy is still at risk of heart failure and needs to be watched all the time, so I can’t go back to work either,” explained the mother.

“We have borrowed more than €12,000 from friends to keep ourselves going but it seems to be a never-ending struggle now,” she noted.

The situation is almost identical for another family in Dunmore, where a father of two has been unable to work since being diagnosed with lung cancer earlier this year.

While social welfare payments provide some support, his wife says they cannot replace the income lost from full-time employment.

The family pays €900 a month in rent and has been refused the Housing Assistance Payment (HAP) support.

The wife told The Tuam Herald that the travel cost to Galway is very high and they have to go to the GP every week to get a new prescription for some medicines.

The family recently had to borrow from friends after their car broke down and needed replacing.

“It is very difficult, and we need help,” she said.

Maureen Grealish working for Tuam Cancer Care stressed that a growing proportion of their clients are aged between 31 and 55, and they are strongly impacted by the current cost of living increases, caring for children, caring for aging parents and managing their cancer diagnosis.

She believes that financial pressures often forces a lot of people to return to work quickly after receiving treatment or remain in employment through their treatment if possible.

While medical cards provide significant relief for many patients, everyday expenses such as fuel, heating and parking continue to place families under severe pressure.

For those without a medical card, costs for GP visits, prescriptions and medication can reach €400 a month.

Charities like Tuam Cancer Care and Cancer Care West offer various supports to people with a cancer diagnosis and their families.

Cancer Care West also offers support to those who are working to manage the financial impacts of a cancer diagnosis.