Breast Cancer Story               A Story In Progress:   Hi my name is Karen and this is my breast cancer story.  My journey with breast cancer of how I truely felt from the inside.  As my story progressed I thought it may be of help to others.   Remember! We are not alone..

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Nottingham Evening Post   Audio Slide Show Keep Warm: Karen's story Karen Roberts was diagnosed with breast cancer last year - now she is struggling to pay her winter fuel bills   POSTED ON: November 21st, 2008           Soaring energy bills: Help is at hand Friday, November 21, 2008          Today the Evening Post launches a new campaign to help Notts' residents beat the energy bills this winter. "Stay Warm For Winter" will show you where to get help to obtain grants, payments and benefits. We will also target the energy firms that treat you unfairly. Political Editor Charles Walker reports.   CANCER sufferer Karen Roberts has counted the cost of rocketing fuel bills more than most.   Forced to give up work during her treatment for breast cancer, Karen has been forced to make stark decisions about whether to heat her home, or eat.   She said: "Sometimes it has been a choice between having the heat on and getting some food in. I have tried to juggle it but I have sat there and there has been nothing in the fridge. When you are going through cancer treatment you are supposed to eat healthily."   Karen, 41, from The Meadows, has never had a problem with money but the combination of her illness, reduced income and escalating energy prices has pushed her into debt.   According to the energy regulator Ofgem, gas prices have gone up 48% in the last year, and electricity prices, 18%. The average household can now expect to spend over £1,000 a year on energy.   The problem has been made worse for Karen because of her illness.   "The treatment makes you so tired," said Karen. "You can't get out and about and so you are in the house and you feel the cold."   Her gas bill tripled in one quarter from £120 to £360 and her electricity bill more than doubled from £70 to £200.   She owes the energy firms more than £500.   Thousands of Notts residents have been forced into a similar position as bills have spiraled.   Some have experienced a shock, such as illness or unemployment, but many simply can't keep up with the increased costs. Today, the Evening Post launches a campaign to help Notts residents to beat the energy crisis.   It is estimated that more than 10,000 households in the city live in fuel poverty, spending more than 10% of their income on energy.   But this is only a proportion of those who are struggling. The problem is made worse because there are still tens of thousands of homes in and around Nottingham that are not properly insulated or have inefficient heating.   It is estimated that up to 30,000 households in Nottingham are in urgent need of assistance to improve their energy efficiency.   In addition, there are tens of thousands more households, which are simply battling to make ends meet.   However, help is at hand and the Post can help you find it.   This month, Nottingham will launch a new £7m WarmZone scheme. It is a joint approach to beat the energy crisis by Nottingham Energy Partnership, Nottingham City Council, and power firm, Scottish and Southern Energy.   The project will last for three years, but it can offer help now. The telephone lines open today.   Ten advisors have been recruited to help city residents obtain grants to improve the energy efficiency of their homes. The advisors can also check on which benefits residents are entitled to and help them access the extra cash. Householders who don't qualify for free insulation will be able to buy it at the special knock down price of £49.   WarmZone advisors expect to speak directly to almost 60,000 people in the next three years and not just on the telephone. They will be going door to door, to make sure no one is missed.   Home improvements will be targeted at privately owned homes, but you can get in touch whether you are a tenant or an owner. Council housing is being upgraded separately by Nottingham City Homes. Anyone – council house tenant, private tenant, or homeowner – can contact WarmZone for advice on benefits and other assistance that is available through charities or energy suppliers.   Miranda Cumberbatch, Nottingham Warm Zone manager, said: "There is something for everyone be it putting in insulation or help with benefits, or for those over 60 help with maintenance in their home."   In addition, many other local organisations, like the Nottingham Citizens' Advice Bureau and welfare groups, such as the city's neighbourhood advice centres, are standing by to tell you how to beat the bills, and if necessary, take on the energy firms if you have been unfairly charged or treated. For county residents, the Greater Nottingham Healthy Housing Service provides similar support to the Warm Zone.   Welfare groups are warning it is vital Notts residents take the help they are entitled to this winter. Not only can houses be upgraded, but tens of millions of pounds in benefits are currently going unclaimed in Notts each year. That money could make all the difference.   Susan Foster, a debt advisor at the Bestwood Advice Centre, said: "It is going to be a nightmare for some people this winter. People are so worried about how much they are going to be paying they are sitting in the cold. We have had a woman who is putting her children to bed in coats. Thirty years ago parents did that, but not now."   There are other sources of help and support, too. Energy suppliers have funds to make special payments where people are struggling, Age Concern in Nottingham can advise on energy efficiency as well as grants, and specialist charities can often access funds.   Karen Roberts received £500 from Macmillan Cancer Care, which helped her to pay the bills. Thankfully, she is now recovering. She is in the final phase of treatment and recently returned to work.   "I had to deal with the cancer and fighting the debt," said Karen. "That £500 meant a lot"