A family from Sheffield have spoken out about the financial and emotional toll of their son's cancer treatment, calling for greater support for families in similar situations. Jolanta Otlewska said she had "no choice" but to leave her job to provide round-the-clock care for her 13-year-old son Jakub, who was diagnosed with lymphoma and began chemotherapy in March last year. The case highlights gaps in support for families, as everyday costs associated with treatment quickly drained the couple's life savings.

Jolanta and her husband Adrian Otlewski had to cover the cost of a 44-mile round trip to hospital, along with parking and food, and by May their "pockets were absolutely empty". In February, the government committed to a national cancer plan, including a travel fund and wellbeing support for those affected, which Adrian welcomed while noting the current system "doesn't look like it is supposed to look". Research from the charity Young Lives vs Cancer found lasting negative impacts on wellbeing for families affected in the past five years, and said the situation had not improved in key areas since 2023. Jakub rang the bell to mark being cancer free on 19 December last year, which Jolanta described as the "most beautiful day in our life".