Financial help offer for seriously ill

The late Colin Burgess received Mid West Charity Begins at Home funding to ease the financial strain on his family during his final days and beyond.

Mid West Charity Begins at Home (MWCBH) is encouraging Mid West residents living with serious or terminal illness to apply for financial relief.

The volunteer-run charity has captured the hearts of the region with its efforts to raise money to ease the financial burden of contracting a serious illness.

It has so far helped more than 110 Mid West families in need.

MWCBH president Chris Dobson urged anyone suffering financial strain from paying for medical costs incurred by serious illness to apply for financial relief.

“Having a serious or terminal illness is hard enough but also battling to pay the bills and keep the family financial afloat just adds to the burden,” Mrs Dobson said.

“It’s especially hard for people living in the Mid West as they often have to travel to Perth and live in the city while they undergo treatment – something that is not only huge emotional burden on families but a financial one too.

“Our aim is to ease the pain of such illness by lessening the financial strain at a time these people need it most.”

Geraldton woman Geraldine Burgess received such support while her now late husband Colin, better known as Scruff, battled for his life in 2012.

Mrs Burgess said the support not only helped financially but also in making her realise that people cared.

“The money was provided at what was a really terrible time,” Mrs Burgess said.

“I was unaware of who or what Mid West Charity Begins At Home was when they contacted me, letting me know that someone had nominated us for assistance. I was overwhelmed by the incredible support they offered.

“I felt very safe knowing that I had some money there.

“And it’s not just the monetary assistance, but also knowing that the community cared.”

While Mr Burgess was too ill to realise the money had been awarded to him and his family, Mrs Burgess said he would have been relieved to know his family had financial support.

“The Mid West Charity Begins at Home committee are such beautiful people – they understand that money can make a difference at that time and they also really cared,” she said.

MWCBH raises most of its money by selling tickets to its annual gala dinner, at which it conducts an auction of goods and services donated by the Mid West business community.

Anyone interested in applying for financial help can find out more and lodge an application online by visiting the website www.charitybeginsathome.org.au