Overview

Mummy’s Star operates a small grants programme is aimed at supporting families to provide some financial relief when most needed. Our grants programme is aimed at supporting families, who reside in the UK or Ireland, by providing some financial relief and breathing space during what is a very difficult and challenging time.

 

Application Support

We are fully aware of the stress and worry that families go through if they are unfortunate enough to find themselves needing to access our support. With that in mind, we have designed a straightforward application form to avoid creating further unnecessary stress and worry.

 

Contact us to receive a copy of the form.

 

Eligibility

To be eligible for our grant programme you must fit under at least one of the following as the charity focuses on supporting women and families where a:

 

• Mother / birthing partner is diagnosed with cancer during pregnancy.

• Mother / birthing partner is diagnosed with cancer within a year of giving birth.

• Mother / birthing partner dies from cancer, following a diagnosis in either of the above timelines.

 

Note 1: If you are diagnosed with any form of cancer but then sadly the pregnancy cannot continue whether it be either natural or medically induced loss you are eligible for our support. We also support people who are diagnosed with cancerous forms of Gestational Trophoblastic Disease (GTD), sometimes referred to as Molar Pregnancy.

 

Note 2: Your child must be 12 months or younger at the time your initial application is received.

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Information Required to Support Your Application

For us to process your application we require a copy of the following documents:

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1. Medical confirmation of your diagnosis and pregnancy. (a copy of your letter or an email to us from one of your medical team)

2. Copy of baby’s birth certificate if a diagnosis is received post-partum.

3. Copy of Photo ID - Passport or Driving License (if you do not have either of these then a copy of your birth certificate).

4. Proof of address - a copy of a recent letter (e.g., bank statement, Council Tax statement).

 

In line with our Privacy Policy, your ID will be deleted once we have had sight however, we retain a copy of your medical letter/diagnosis confirmation on your case file for up to 5 years or when you advise us that you no longer wish to be in touch; whichever comes first.

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Grants

The maximum grant that can be applied for is £250.

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Eligible Costs

We do not provide an exhaustive list of what is eligible in our grants programme as every family has different needs and therefore each application will be considered individually. We always recommend speaking to us prior to applying to check and avoid any delays.

 

These are just some examples of the types of things that we have previously funded which have helped families in this situation:

• Recompense for partners having to take unpaid leave to support at home beyond their existing leave/paternity leave. (must provide proof of income)

• Travel costs to appointments.

• Support which may help with bonding with the new baby such as costs of baby massage classes, aqua classes etc.

• Payment for counselling support, telephone or face to face, if not available through your support services within
  a short space of time i.e. 3 months waiting.

• Payment for additional child-minding required around appointments or pay for home childcare
  such as a nanny for a day a week etc. around appointments or post-treatment days.

• Payment for a cleaner in the home.

• An iPad or similar device to allow children to speak to Mum when in hospital overnight etc.

• Private purchase of donor breast milk (if your hospital is unwilling to fund it).

• Holidays (in the case of a secondary/terminal diagnosis).

• Prescription charges (the Republic of Ireland only).

 

Ineligible Costs

While we would like to be able to provide every family with grants to support those things that will bring them the greatest relief, we do have to rule out certain costs to be able to support as many families as possible.

 

The following items cannot be funded through a grant:

• Cost of medical treatment.

• Holidays (except if a secondary cancer diagnosis is received).

• Purchase of vehicles.

• Purchase of non-essential electrical equipment for the home.

• Payment of Rent or Mortgage Payments, Interest payments (e.g., on unsecured debt), TV licence fees etc.

• Prescription charges (except in the Republic of Ireland).

• Costs for services and items covered by benefits.

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Making a Decision/Timescales

Upon receipt of your application and it being processed, the form is then circulated to our trustees for a decision.
Decisions are made simply by the majority and in the event of a tied vote; the Chair will make the casting decision.

 

The normal timescale for this is 3 weeks however in times of high demand we will explain if it may take longer.

 

You will be notified within one week of the decision in writing and by email. If you have been successful, we aim to make payment within one week.

 

Applying again

Due to high demand, we can only provide one grant per family.

 

We advise speaking to us prior to any application being made either by you or a referrer.

 

Unsuccessful Applications

If your application is unsuccessful, we will work with you to identify other potential sources of funding for the items in your application.

 

If reapplying, any new application must be for something different to that of the previously unsuccessful one.

 

We recommend you contact us prior to resubmitting an application.

 

Receipts/Evaluation Form

If you are successful in receiving a grant, we will write to you 12 months after.

 

At this point, we will ask you to fill in a simple evaluation form confirming what the grant was spent on and what relief this brought to you and your family and ask that you send us the receipts for any items purchased (where reasonable).

 

Please note you will be asked on our evaluation form if you are happy for us to share your comments on our website/for use in publicity material. The purpose of this is so we can publicise, with your permission, the benefits that the Mummy’s Star Grants provide.