Travel Expenses Force Parents to Work by Son's Hospital Bedside During Cancer Treatment
For many families, a 45-minute drive from Newbury to Oxford might represent a routine journey for social visits or leisure activities. However, for Phoebe Scaife and her husband Phil, this route became a lifeline two years ago when their eight-year-old son Barney was diagnosed with a tumour in his left lung. The Oxford Children's Hospital, located in the city, became the centre of their world as Barney underwent intensive treatment, but the associated travel costs created a brutal financial strain that forced them to work even by his bedside.
Diagnosis and Daily Journeys
Initially, Barney's symptoms were mistaken for asthma, and he received treatment for pneumonia in early 2024 when his condition worsened. When his persistent cough led to further investigation, a scan revealed the devastating truth: a tumour requiring immediate attention. This period of uncertainty resulted in numerous 45-minute drives from their home in Newbury to Oxford, with some journeys stretching to two hours due to traffic or hospital schedules.
Phoebe recalled the impact vividly: 'Just the increase in petrol that we were using. I remember one week he had a different appointment every day, so we were back and forth to the hospitals every day that week, and the increase on top of everything else, it was a massive impact.'
Financial Pressures on Self-Employed Parents
Both Phoebe, who works as a virtual assistant, and Phil, an assistant editor in film and television, are self-employed. This meant that their income was directly tied to their ability to work, creating a precarious situation during Barney's treatment. 'If you're not working, you're not earning,' Phoebe explained, highlighting the dilemma of balancing caregiving with financial survival.
The logistics were particularly challenging as they also had a younger son to care for. Phoebe described how they managed: 'You'd find yourself working by his bedside in hospital, doing additional hours at home, just to make sure that you were covering all bases – and then there's the parking as well on top of the petrol. And it just starts adding up.'
Mounting Costs and Charitable Support
With additional trips, including one to London for a PET scan, the family's travel expenses could reach up to £200 extra per month. The charity Young Lives Vs Cancer provided a £100 grant to help with initial costs as Barney began his treatment, which Phoebe described as a 'massive help.' However, the financial pressures persisted even after Barney underwent surgery to remove his lung, as follow-up appointments for stitch removal, scans, and check-ups continued.
Barney's recovery has been positive, with follow-up MRI scans initially every three months, then every six months, and his latest results showing no signs of cancer. Yet, the memory of the financial burden remains stark.
Government Intervention and National Cancer Plan
In a significant development, the government announced yesterday that it will cover all travel costs for families taking children for cancer treatment, aiming to alleviate this major source of stress. This move comes ahead of the publication of the National Cancer Plan, which marks World Cancer Day and outlines strategies to provide bespoke support plans for all cancer patients in the UK, addressing the full impact of the disease on their lives.
Phoebe welcomed the news, stating: 'It just takes a little bit of pressure off of the situation that you're just thrown into. Just that bit of help that can ease something, because on top of worrying about everything your child's going through, you've got that additional worry of money and how you're going to be funding everything. So, just that little bit of help is massive.'
Calls for Improved Mental Health Support
Despite the positive step on travel costs, Phoebe highlighted areas where support could be enhanced, particularly regarding mental health for patients and their families. She shared her own experience: 'I was waiting nine months for counselling to help go through it, which I'm going through at the moment. There just wasn't anything, especially anything local, that would support us.'
Health Secretary Wes Streeting emphasised the new plan's focus on patient-centred care: 'This means nobody gets handed a diagnosis and is then abandoned to navigate the system alone. This is care that actually fits around people's lives, not the other way around. It's the biggest shift in how we support cancer patients in a generation.'
The story of Phoebe and Phil Scaife underscores the hidden financial and emotional tolls that families face during childhood cancer treatment, even as policy changes begin to address some of these challenges.
