A FATHER who lost his daughter to cancer says she would have been ‘over the moon’ after he won his two-year battle for a fairer benefits system for students battling serious illness.
Ian Leech, from Branston, has been a passionate advocate of reform since his 20-year-old daughter, Melissa, died from non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma in May 2008.
Aston University student Melissa was forced to suspend her studies to fight her illness and was told she would either have to abandon her psychology degree course altogether, or draw on her student loan to meet her living costs.
Now, nearly two years after Melissa’s death and after tireless campaigning by her father, ministers have finally agreed to change the rules so students who find themselves in her situation will be entitled to claim benefits.
Mr Leech said: “It’s been a real battle and it’s going to take time to sink in, but it's brilliant news. I was quite emotional when I heard because it’s one of those things where I wanted to turn to Mel and say: ‘Look what we did’.”
Mr Leech said he hoped the changes, which will come into effect in October, would remove some of the added worry and stress for students battling long-term illness and their families.
He said: “One of the worst times throughout Mel’s illness was the morning I spent on the phone to the Benefits Agency. I came off the phone in tears – it was so frustrating.
“Mel didn’t want hundreds of pounds a week – just a few quid to live on, to buy things for herself, to give her that independence and self-respect.”
Mr Leech also paid tribute to Burton MP Janet Dean, who lobbied parliament to make the changes, saying he had ‘nothing but admiration for what she’s done’.”
Mrs Dean said: “I’d like to commend Mr Leech on his campaign in Melissa’s memory and I’m really pleased that ministers have confirmed the rules will be changed.” Meanwhile, Mr Leech said he hoped others would be inspired by his fight.
He said: “This shows that we do live in a democracy and one person can make a difference. If there’s something you feel strongly and passionately about and you know what you’re fighting for is right, you can do it. You just have to be dogged and persistent and be prepared to be knocked back.
“Mel would be really proud. It’s something she talked about before she died, about what we’d do after she’d gone, and this is one of the things I said I’d try and change.
“Mel was a football fan and to use a football saying, she’d be over the moon.”