Celebrities back Marie Curie's cost-of-living campaign
Press release published
Celebrities back Marie Curie's cost-of-living campaign
Chris Kamara, Stephen Fry, Jo Brand, Megan McKenna and Stephen Mangan among celebs to support campaign
A-Listers are taking to social media to back a charity campaign calling on the Government to help terminally ill people enjoy their last Christmas.
A wave of Instagram stories, posts and Tweets are appearing today, calling for UK governments to improve support available to terminally ill people amid the cost-of-living crisis.
According to Marie Curie, the UK's leading end of life charity that is leading the campaign, dying people are struggling to pay their bills, keep warm, and put food on the table after being forced to give up work and having higher than average energy needs.
Marie Curie says that terminally ill people have been facing a cost-of-living crisis for years. And that rising costs mean dying people are facing a final Christmas overshadowed by financial uncertainty when they should be making precious memories with their loved ones.
Football analyst and television presenter Chris "Kammy" Kamara tweeted his support for the campaign and a link to the charity's petition to his 1.8 million twitter followers.
Actor, comedian and broadcaster Stephen Fry posted two Instagram stories to his 647,000 followers, highlighting Marie Curie's campaign and petition which already has over 160,000 signatures.
The petition is calling for terminally ill people to be given early access to their State Pension, support with energy bills, and childcare costs. That's after Marie Curie research found that one in four terminally ill people of working age spend the last year of their life in poverty.
TV presenter and chef Simon Rimmer tweeted his support to his 276,000 followers and actor Stephen Mangan tweeted to his 472,000.
Actor, comedian and presenter Stephen Mangan, said:
"Marie Curie got in touch with me and shared some stories of the people they support.
"I found it really shocking and upsetting that people with a terminal illness who haven't got long left to live are spending their final days on earth worrying about whether they can afford to turn the heating on or cook one last Christmas dinner.
"The cost-of-living crisis is affecting us all, but it impacts the vulnerable in society most.
"That's why I'm encouraging all my followers to head to the Marie Curie website and sign the petition."
"Please sign this petition" radio and TV presenter Gaby Roslin wrote whilst sharing the Marie Curie post and petition link to her Instagram story.
Actors Rupert Young, Janet Ellis, Connor McIntyre and Josh Whitehouse also pledged their online support for the campaign today alongside author Catherine Mayer, BRIT-nominated classical singer Camilla Kerslake and journalist Simon McCoy.
Comedian Jo Brand, singer Megan McKenna, screenwriter and producer Dustin Lance Black and Euro's winning Lioness and Women's Super League Footballer Jess Carter are also supporting the campaign.
Marie Curie launched its crusade against Dying in Poverty back in May and has been calling on the Government to introduce measures to prevent terminally ill people from falling below the poverty line ever since.
Marie Curie Clinical Nurse Manager for South East London, Adebusola Olalekan-Sule, said:
"As a palliative care nurse working in the community, I am seeing first-hand the financial struggles that some of our patients are faced with in their last months of life, and sadly the situation is getting worse.
"After a terminal diagnosis, people are often forced to give up work. But life doesn't get cheaper, dying is expensive.
"Some of my patients are scared to turn the heating on or boil the kettle to make a cup of tea and many of them can't afford to get to their hospital appointments.
"It's clear that terminally ill people aren't getting enough financial support from the Government, and something needs to change."
If you believe that nobody should die in poverty sign Marie Curie's petition calling for government action mariecurie.org.uk/poverty
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For more information please contact the Marie Curie press team on media@mariecurie.org.uk or 0844 893 2101
Notes to Editor
LINKS TO POSTS:
Twitter:
Instagram Stories:
Stephen Fry (@stephenfryactually) • Instagram photos and videos
Camilla Kerslake 🌈 (@camillakerslake) • Instagram photos and videos
Josh Whitehouse (@joshuawhitehouse) • Instagram photos and videos
GabyRoslin (@gabyroslin) • Instagram photos and videos
Rupert Young (@rupertfyoung) • Instagram photos and videos
About Marie Curie
Marie Curie is the UK's leading end of life charity. The charity provides essential frontline nursing and hospice care for people with any terminal illness, a free support line and a wealth of information and support on all aspects of dying, death and bereavement. It is the largest charity funder of palliative and end of life care research in the UK. Marie Curie is committed to sharing its expertise to improve quality of care and ensuring that everyone has a good end of life experience. Marie Curie is calling for recognition and sustainable funding of end-of-life care and bereavement support.
Please note we are 'Marie Curie' (not 'Marie Curie Cancer Care').