Be ready for life's shocks

IF YOU'RE struck by serious illness, health isn’t the only concern. Money worries can quickly follow, especially if you can’t work for months at a time. And that’s where a type of insurance protection called critical illness cover can make all the difference, as one woman recently found out.

- By Harvey Jones

When 40-year-old single mum Urszula Roman-Kamphaus was diagnosed with breast cancer last year, her life was turned upside down. The Glasgow academic, who has a 14-year-old daughter, went from an active, healthy lifestyle to suddenly facing surgery and uncertainty. “I love cycling, swimming, hiking,” she says. “I saw myself as fit and healthy, so breast cancer came as a huge shock.”

After spotting a small dimple on her breast at the gym, Urszula went to her GP, who referred her for tests. A biopsy confirmed her fears. “I was terrified. I kept thinking about my daughter. It was very emotional for both of us.”