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Sun, 20 Sep 2026

Sun, 20 Sep 2026 Family shares hidden cost of cancer care

Maya, 13, from Hythe in Kent, was diagnosed with neuroblastoma when she was three.

* A 13-year-old girl from Hythe, Kent, diagnosed with neuroblastoma at three years old, has relapsed and her family faces an increased financial burden caring for her.
* The family's parents have reduced their working hours to care for Maya full-time, leaving them struggling to pay bills and mortgage.
* Charity Young Lives vs Cancer estimates that families of children with cancer face average extra costs of around £700 a month and an average loss of income of about £6,000 per household.
* The charity says financial support is available but it can take time for families to receive benefits and most costs are immediate.