Sacked, because her daughter has cancer. Mum who lost job because of caring for her child, fights for others’ rights

Just before Christmas 2021, Christina Harris was told that her daughter Skye had Acute Lymphoblastic Leukaemia. 

Blood cancer. 

It was a diagnosis that Christina says ripped her world apart. She had taken Skye to A&E with chest pains and a few hours later was told she had cancer. 

Pic: © Christina Harris. Skye Harris will need daily chemotherapy for the next two years

Christina’s voice cracks with emotion as she tells me. Her pain is so evident that it feels wrong to carry on, but I know Christina wants to share her story. We pause the interview for a moment as she gathers her thoughts.

The road to recovery for Skye will be a long one. She will need chemotherapy for two and half years to eradicate the cancer. At first Christina’s company allowed her time off, but when they found out her daughter would be unwell for so long, they sacked her. She had worked for them for 19 years.

“I offered to work from home and go into the office on days I was able to, but they said it wasn’t going to work for the company.”

Pic: © Christina Harris. Christina’s employer would not keep her job open while she cares for Skye

Christina wasn’t asking to be paid whilst off looking after Skye. She just wanted her job to be kept open until she can return. She has now started a petition asking the government to offer some job protection for other parents in the same situation. 

“It’s a really sad situation when you have to choose between looking after your sick child or going to work. It’s just not right. ” she tells me.

Almost 80,000 people have signed Christina’s petition. 

The government response is:

“The Government understands the difficulties and worry faced by the parents of seriously ill children. We have no plans to introduce a right to take a career break in these circumstances.” 

If the Government really understood the agony faced by families with with seriously ill children, surely it would try to spare them the additional burden of financial hardship.

If the petition reaches 100,000 signatures it will be considered for debate in Parliament.

The Make Every Child Count study by the University of York in 2020 revealed that the number of children in England with life-limiting or life-threatening conditions increased to nearly 90,000 in 2017/18 compared with 33,000 in 2001/2001. That’s a lot of families facing financial hardship at the most devastating time of their lives.

Christina is the breadwinner in her house and is now reliant on benefits and charity.

Subscribe now to hear Christina and Skye’s story on the podcast “Angela Walker In Conversation” which is out Monday 2nd October 2023.

You can see the petition and full Government response here.

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