We have joined forces with Cura to provide grants to patients facing treatment for cancer at our hospitals.

The grants, which will usually be approximately £300 per person, could help provide wigs, specialist post-surgery bras, help in the home, transport to appointments, childcare during treatment or go towards a short holiday. Grant applications are considered individually and must offer direct help or support to the patient in some way.

Cura was initially set up in 2012 to support patients with breast cancer. The partnership with East and North Hertfordshire Hospitals’ Charity - which supports Hertford County Hospital, Lister Hospital, Mount Vernon Cancer Centre and New QEII Hospital - will mean patients with other cancers can now also apply for grants.

Cura co-founder, Jennie Kirk, was inspired to set up the charity after being treated for breast cancer.

Jennie said: “It is wonderful to be a part of something good that grew from a very hard period in my life.

“This new partnership with East and North Hertfordshire Hospitals’ Charity will enable us to help even more people who may be struggling to make ends meet while also having to deal with the huge physical and emotional upsets that cancer treatment brings.”

Angie Storton, 66, from Stevenage is one of the first recipients of a grant from the partnership.

After being diagnosed with thyroid cancer in 2004, Angie received treatment at Mount Vernon Cancer Centre. Side effects of the treatment unfortunately damaged Angie’s voice box and she lost the ability to speak.

A grant from Cura and East and North Hertfordshire Hospitals’ Charity has enabled Angie to purchase ‘Speak Unique’, an app that uses a personalised voice to help her ‘speak’ again.

With help from her speech therapist, Angie’s daughter’s voice, which is similar to Angie’s, was uploaded to the app to be her voice.

Angie said: “Losing my voice felt like losing part of my identity. Having the Speak Unique app with my daughter’s voice has helped me regain part of my identity. It matches my accent and my gender and it feels like me again. I can talk to my friends and family and it gives me more independence.

“I haven’t been able to work since my cancer treatment so I am very grateful for the grant to get the app.”

Hear what a difference the Speak Unique app made to Angie:

Eloise Huddleston, director of East and North Hertfordshire Hospitals’ Charity added: “We are delighted to launch this partnership with Cura to help people facing cancer treatment access grants to make things a little bit easier.

“It’s wonderful to hear that Angie’s grant to purchase the Speak Unique app has made a real difference to her life. She can talk again and in a voice that matches her own. It has helped her regain her confidence and given her back her independence.

“The grants do not need to be for life-changing items like Angie’s though. They are to help anybody going through cancer treatment who needs a bit of help."

Make a donation to help support patients facing treatment for cancer

If you or anyone you know is being treated for cancer at East and North Hertfordshire NHS Trust and would like to apply for a grant, please visit: www.enhhcharity.org.uk/cura-grants.