A mother struggles with eviction after battling mouth cancer and mounting debts from her treatment
London: A mother of three, Nicole Freeman, is in a tough spot. She’s facing eviction after her mouth cancer went undiagnosed during the pandemic. It’s been a rough two years for her.
At just 30, Nicole can’t speak and relies on a feeding tube after a major surgery took half her tongue. She’s now trying to raise £6,000 to settle her debts.
It all started in November 2020 when she noticed a sore on her tongue while pregnant. With lockdowns in place, she couldn’t see her doctor in person. Instead, she was told to treat it like a harmless ulcer.
It wasn’t until March 2021, during childbirth, that a midwife finally caught the cancer. By then, Nicole had lost her voice and was using an iPad to communicate. A biopsy confirmed the worst, and doctors warned her that time was running out.
While recovering, she ended up in a care home, but the bills piled up. Now, she’s facing eviction and feels overwhelmed. “I fell into debt while just trying to get better,” she said. “I want to get back to normal with my kids.”
Citizens Advice has stepped in to help, but she’s racing against time to pay her council tax. She’s asking for donations to help her family regain stability.
Sadly, mouth cancer cases in the UK are hitting record highs, with over 10,000 new cases diagnosed annually. The pandemic has played a big role in this surge.
Recent data shows a staggering 10,825 new cases each year, marking a 133% increase over the last two decades. Many cases were missed due to lockdowns and overwhelmed NHS services.
Last year, around 3,637 people in the UK lost their lives to mouth cancer, a 61% increase compared to a decade ago. Alarmingly, over half of the cases are diagnosed at advanced stages.
Dr. Nigel Carter from the Oral Health Foundation emphasizes the need for better access to dental care. He believes timely referrals can be lifesaving.
Moreover, a World Health Organization study found that nearly a quarter of new cancer cases may have been missed during the pandemic. Lockdowns and healthcare pressures led to a 23% drop in diagnoses worldwide.
Experts have analyzed over 240 studies, revealing the pandemic’s significant impact on cancer care. A previous study from the University of Oxford highlighted that thousands of cancer diagnoses were missed in the UK during 2020 and 2021.
Professor Karol Sikora warns that the delays in cancer diagnosis and treatment will have long-lasting effects, far exceeding the losses from Covid itself.
