Edinburgh girl raises £5000 rent money for mum fighting cancer and unable to work
The child of a recently diagnosed cancer patient is attempting to raise funds to pay her mother’s rent while she receives chemotherapy
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Andrea Dickson was diagnosed with an aggressive type of cancer known as HER2+ during a routine check-up last month.
The devastating diagnosis was followed by significant worry about how the 51-year-old was going to afford to live while undergoing the six-month-long treatment required.
Doctors have warned that she may not be fit to return to work for a year and her current employer could not accommodate the sick days required.
This news came as another devastating blow to the family who are still struggling to cope with the news of the diagnosis.
“It’s been a really difficult time,” said Andrea’s 25-year-old daughter Shannon Dickson.
“She’s my best friend and the diagnosis was devastating, completely heartbreaking and then we found out the financial support for people in her position is extremely poor.
Shannon, who works as an assistant statistician for the Scottish Government and lives in Edinburgh and is hundreds of miles away from her unwell mother who is based in Coleraine.
“It’s been hard not being with her when she's going through all of this,” she said/
But the caring daughter has found a way to support her mother from a distance, by vowing to pay her mum’s rent during treatment.
Unable to provide the £5000 required Shannon set up a Go Fund Me page and has organised a number of fundraising events to raise the cash needed.
During August the sporty daughter will run 50 kilometers, cycle 300 kilometers and complete a daily squat challenge to raise cash.
While Andrea is fighting cancer in Northern Ireland Shannon will be running and cycling through Edinburgh’s streets, pushing herself physically to help her mum through cancer.
Both mother and daughter have been “overwhelmed” with the positive response the fundraiser has received.
Shannon said: "We didn't expect people to donate as much as they have so soon, we are so so grateful and shocked.
"We are getting to the stage that some of the money raised can go to charity as well which is important to mum.”
To donate to the Go Fund Me page click HERE.