Being diagnosed with cancer can lead to increased medical costs such as consultant fees and medications, additional expenses from hospital travel and parking and increased utility bills due to extra time at home while recovering. This can all happen while a person has reduced earnings because they are too ill to work and family members may have to take time off to help them recover.

Many people find themselves overwhelmed by these costs and this adds to the stress of their cancer diagnosis. The Marie Keating Foundation hopes to lessen that burden. The Marie Keating Foundation provides financial assistance to people who are currently receiving treatment for any kind of cancer and who find themselves in financial difficulty as a result.

How does it work?
The Marie Keating Foundation works in partnership with health care professionals, mainly Medical Social Workers (MSWs) and Clinical Nurse Specialists (CNSs). Applications are submitted on behalf of and with the consent of patients who feel that they are in exceptional need of financial assistance. All applications to the Comfort Fund must be submitted by a health care professional. The Marie Keating Foundation does not accept applications directly from patients.

Examples of what Comfort Fund grants can assist with:

• Medical costs
• Household bills
• Transport costs
• Childcare expenses

If you would like more details on the Comfort Fund, please email info@mariekeating.ie or call 01 628 3726.

To read about people who have been helped by our Comfort Fund, you can click here.

The Department of Social Protection provides a range of financial and other supports to carers to help with the financial burden of caring for a loved with an illness. More information on these supports can be found on support for carers.

The HSE provides benefits and services to thousands of families and individuals in Ireland, and all of the schemes are provided for in law to make the cost of health and medical care more affordable for all. Find out more about these financial supports.