A cancer charity in south Cumbria has applied for a grant to help provide more support to people affected by the disease.

CancerCare has applied for a grant from the Holehird Trust to support the charity’s provision of one-to-one therapy sessions for people from the South Lakes who are affected by cancer.

The Holehird Trust committee, of which Westmorland and Furness Council, is a trustee, has recommended granting CancerCare £2,000 towards the ongoing provision of therapy sessions.

In a grant application the charity state: “We work to increase the resilience and wellbeing of people affected by cancer and loss, enabling them to find the strength to face challenges such as illness, treatment, recovery, bereavement, anxiety about a loved one, or end of life.”

“Counselling, for example, helps clients deal with emotional reactions to a cancer diagnosis such as fear, anger, or anxiety, and enables exploration of issues that may be too difficult to share with family and friends.”

According to the application CancerCare provides a wide range of 1:1 support and in the last year the charity provided nearly 3500 hours of therapy to nearly 400 clients, including 45 children and young adults.

Cumbria sees the highest rates of cancer across the north west region: and residents in the north west are 25% more likely to be diagnosed with cancer than in the rest of the UK according to the grant application.

The charity states an increase in demand is putting pressure on finances.

The grant application says: “Despite a full range of fundraising streams, our income is not keeping pace with the increasing demand for our help, and we are having difficult conversations about how to manage this support for our clients whilst remaining sustainable as a charity. Last year, it cost us £74,000 to provide one to one session alone at our Kendal centre.”

The Holehird Trust Committee will consider the application on Tuesday (January 9) at Kendal County Hall.