A CHESTER woman who lost her father to a brain tumour has spoken out about the often devastating financial burden of the disease on the patient and their family.

Ian Lowe, from South Shields, was diagnosed with a large and aggressive CNS lymphoma after experiencing double vision and undergoing a routine cataract operation.

The 56-year-old taxi driver underwent treatment but sadly he died just two months later - on Valentine’s Day last year.

His daughter, Julie, is now sharing Ian’s experience to highlight the financial burden of a brain tumour.

Julie Lowe

Julie said: “Although there were just two months between Dad’s diagnosis and his passing, his brain tumour led to many financial worries. Straight away, he lost his income because he couldn’t continue driving with double vision. After his diagnosis, I was constantly travelling to South Shields and back from my home in Chester, and I took unpaid leave from my job too. Of course, I would have been there with him, regardless of the cost, but worrying about money just added to the devastation and distress of Dad’s diagnosis.”

She has welcomed a new report exposing the punishing financial burden of the disease.

Ian Lowe

The report Exposing the Financial Impact of Brain Tumours released by the Brain Tumour Research charity reveals the financial impact of a brain tumour diagnosis is double that for all cancers.

Patients said they suffered a loss of independence and isolation which, combined with a dramatic decline in their earning potential, brought an impact almost as distressing as the disease itself.

The report, based on the experiences of 368 people, will be fed into a formal inquiry into the hidden costs of a brain tumour being led by the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Brain Tumours for which Brain Tumour Research provides the secretariat.

The report found:

• An average financial loss of £14,783 per household per year – more than double the £6,840 for all cancers

• Households face an annual rise in household bills of £1,000 and many also have to make expensive modifications to their homes

• Patients also have to find around £1,582 in travel costs for hospital visits

• Suffer a crippling £391 increase in travel insurance making a much-needed holiday a distant dream for many.

Sue Farrington Smith, chief executive of Brain Tumour Research, said: “The financial penalties, the loss of independence and the consequential feelings of isolation compound the poor prognosis endured by brain tumour patients and this has got to stop.”

The charity is calling on the Government to speed up access to better treatments by stimulating further increases in the national investment for research into brain tumours, offset the debilitating loss of income by providing additional benefits and fund easily accessible financial support for patients while they are receiving treatment.