By Annie Flynn
FERMANAGH cancer charity has partnered with Community Advice Fermanagh to ensure those facing a cancer diagnosis can access vital financial support.
SWELL (Supported We Live Life), based in Enniskillen, has launched a new confidential Financial Wellbeing Clinic to help local families cope with the “hidden costs” of cancer.
The initiative comes amid growing concern about end-of-life poverty in the district. Last month, the Herald revealed that one in five local people spend their final year of life in poverty.
Fermanagh and Omagh has the second-highest rate in Northern Ireland, with 22 per cent living in cold, damp homes while worrying about paying essential bills.
Through the new partnership, the charity will offer private one-to-one appointments on the third Monday of every month at its base on Cross Street.
The clinic provides guidance on benefit entitlements, grant applications and managing rising household costs during treatment and beyond.
Founder and chairperson Genevieve Irvine BEM said: “A diagnosis doesn’t just impact your health; it affects your home, your ability to work, your finances and your peace of mind.
“We have seen first-hand how the paperwork mountain of benefits like PIP or Blue Badges can overwhelm people when they are at their most vulnerable.
“This clinic is about providing the right support at the right time, making sure no one has to choose between their recovery and their financial security.”
One local woman, Mary, among the first to use the service, said when she first came to SWELL her focus was entirely on treatment but behind the scenes, rising heating bills and travel costs were adding to her stress.
“I felt overwhelmed by the 40-page benefit forms and didn’t think I was the type of person who asked for help,” she said.
During a one-to-one session, advisers helped her realise she was eligible for Personal Independence Payment (PIP), assisted with a Blue Badge application and secured a small grant to help cover travel costs to Belfast.
“By the end of the hour, it felt like a weight had been lifted,” Mary added. “I could finally stop worrying about the bank balance and just focus on getting better.”
Founded in 2018 by cancer survivors to fill gaps in local support, SWELL says the latest addition ensures practical financial help is now as accessible as emotional care.
Residents affected by cancer are encouraged to book early as spaces are limited and a priority waiting list is in operation.
To book an appointment, call 07902 368475, email info@swell.org.uk or visit 26 Cross Street, Enniskillen, BT74 7DX.
