REAL LIFE STORIES
Meet the mums we support and read their stories
WHO WE ARE
Meet the mums we support and read their stories
The news of a pregnancy or a recent birth is an exciting time for all prospective and existing parents. It can, however, be cruelly interrupted by the news of a cancer diagnosis and the worry that this brings to both you and your wider family.
Mummy’s Star has been set up specifically to offer support if you find yourself in this situation and we hope that by providing comprehensive information and links in this section, it will help you to get the support you need, access services that are available to you but most importantly know that you are not alone when you are going through this.
The information contained here is reviewed on an ongoing basis and will also be added to as new information becomes known about cancer in pregnancy. Likewise, as we receive more enquiries, we will add to the FAQs section in order to be able to try and answer as many of your questions in one place as possible.
Please contact us here and we can discuss more specifically how we can support you and your family.
REAL LIFE STORIES
Meet the mums we support and read their stories
WHO WE ARE
Meet the mums we support and read their stories
PREGNANCY | BIRTH | LOSS | BEYOND
CANCER SUPPORT IN & AROUND
APPLY FOR A GRANT FOR YOUR FAMILY
Additional financial support for when you most need it
Mummy’s Star operates a small grants programme is aimed at supporting families to provide some financial relief when most needed. You can apply for a grant by completing our online application form and you can also access information on the grant guidelines below. If you wish to receive a hard copy of either of these documents, please contact us and they will be sent out first-class to you.
To be eligible for our grants programme your child must be under 12 months old at the point of application and you must reside in the UK or Ireland. Grants are limited to one per family.
Our grants are non-means-tested.
We do not provide an exhaustive list of what is eligible in our grants programme as every family has different needs so please contact us prior to applying. Some examples are listed below:
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Purchasing donor breast milk if your hospital will not fund this.
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Payment to access counselling services along with other types of parental support, baby/parent bonding classes etc.
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Recompense for partners having to take unpaid leave to support at home beyond their existing leave/paternity leave.
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Travel costs to appointments including parking fees which can be extortionate.
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Payment for additional child-minding when required around appointments.
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Payment for home childcare such as a nanny for a day a week etc around appointments or post-treatment days.
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Payment for a cleaner in the home.
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Practical Items such as mastectomy wear. Compression garments for the associated conditions like Lymphedema.
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An iPad or similar device to allow children to speak to Mummy when she may be in hospital overnight etc.
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Hotel accommodation for a partner if treatment is unavailable locally to enable a partner to be as near as possible.
To be eligible for our grants programme you must fit under at least one of the following as the charity focuses on supporting women and families where a:
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Mother / birthing partner is diagnosed with cancer during pregnancy.
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Mother / birthing partner is diagnosed with cancer within a year of giving birth.
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Mother / birthing partner dies from cancer, following a diagnosis in either of the above timelines
Macmillan Grants
These applications are normally completed by a Macmillan professional and will include supporting information showing how your needs are connected to the impact of cancer. Please check eligibility and criteria by visiting macmillan.org.uk/cancer-information-and-support/get-help/financial-help/macmillan-grants
Welfare Advice
It is also worth speaking to a MacMillan Welfare Advisor, they may be able to get money off your heating costs and other help you may not know about. You can find out more by calling them on 0800 808 00 00 or going online to macmillan.org.uk
Treats and Gifts
There are several organisations that we work with that can provide additional treats and gifts for cancer patients including days out, short breaks, pamper sessions and more. Get in touch or speak to your Mummy’s Star Information and Support Worker for more information.
