A terminally ill mother from Heanor, Derbyshire, faces an uphill battle to fulfil her dream of visiting family in New York, as high travel insurance costs threaten to derail the trip. Susan Williams, 64, has been battling stage 4 small cell lung cancer since June last year, and while her fighting spirit has kept her going, her hopes of seeing long-lost relatives now hang in the balance.
Despite never having met her American family, Susan had planned to visit them before the pandemic struck. Now, with her health deteriorating, she’s desperate to make what she describes as her “one last trip” to New York.
Speaking about her wish, Susan explained, “My family in New York, who I’ve never met, neither had my dad. I know he would’ve been so proud that I found them and planned to visit. But then life changed. I lost my husband Terry very suddenly in 2019, and the grief took over. I had my kids to care for, and then lockdown stopped my plans.”
During the pandemic, Susan used the money she had set aside for her trip to help support her family. Despite the difficulties, she never gave up on her dream of travelling to New York, constantly speaking of her relatives and the adventure she had longed to take.
The family had managed to arrange the trip for late October, but their hopes were dealt a blow when they discovered that the travel insurance provided by Susan’s bank, Revolut, had been cancelled without warning. Securing a new insurance policy has proven near impossible due to Susan’s terminal condition, with quotes reaching as high as £4,000 for a one-week single trip.
The astronomical cost of travel insurance for terminally ill individuals is a reality that many face, with standard insurers often deeming such patients too risky to cover. This leaves families like Susan’s having to either pay extortionate premiums to specialist insurers or cancel long-planned trips altogether.
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Susan’s daughter, Tuesday Williams, expressed the family’s frustration: “Mum’s always wanted to go to New York to meet our relatives, and after everything she’s been through, we want to make that dream come true. We’ve already booked the flights and accommodation, but the insurance costs are beyond what we can afford.”
To overcome this obstacle, Susan’s children—Tuesday, Paris, and Kian—have launched a GoFundMe campaign titled “Get Mum to New York,” aiming to raise enough funds to cover the soaring insurance premiums. They’ve already seen an outpouring of support, with donations flooding in from friends, family, and even strangers moved by Susan’s story.
The Williams family is hoping that the generosity of the public will help them meet their target in time for the planned trip at the end of October. Any additional funds raised will be donated to Maggie’s Centre Nottingham, a charity that has provided vital support to Susan throughout her cancer treatment.
Tuesday concluded, “Our mum has been there for us throughout our lives. Now we want to make one of her lifelong dreams come true, and we’re so grateful for the support we’ve received so far. Every little bit helps, whether it’s a donation or simply sharing the campaign.”
To donate or learn more about Susan’s story, visit the GoFundMe page titled “Get Mum to New York.”
