A British man who has returned to the UK from Mexico for live-saving cancer treatment was almost left homeless in Reading.
In September, Huw David Wright, arrived in the UK from Mexico to undergo cancer treatment at the Royal Berkshire Hospital.
The 46 year old said: “I’ve lived in Cancún for nine years, but this year I was repatriated to the UK by the British Embassy.
“Because the tumour was so excessive, it was leaking puss and blood and I was in pain, if I didn’t back I would’ve had two months to live.
“If I didn’t have chemo it would have killed me.”
Mr Wright chose to receive cancer treatment from the Royal Berkshire Hospital for the skin cancer battle he is fighting after a friend recommended it.
He returned via Gatwick Airport on September 21, staying over a month at the Royal Berkshire Hospital, which saw him being moved from A&E to a series of different wards, ending up in the Adelaide Ward where he successfully received treatment.
However, he has claimed hospital staff mismanaged his exit on Friday, October 28.
Mr Wright said: “Adelaide would have discharged me onto the street with liquid and tablet morphine.
“I could have been back in A&E with a knife wound!”
Since his discharge, he spent 10 days at the Elmhurst Hotel in Earley, as he had no alternative living arrangement, with a total of £564 being spent on his stay.
His accommodation was arranged by his wife, who is still in Mexico.
A spokesperson for the hospital said: “Mr Wright received treatment at Royal Berkshire Hospital and all support was in place for the patient to be discharged to The Elmhurst Hotel.
“We have a duty of care to ensure our patients have appropriate support when they are discharged from hospital and work closely together with our local authorities and charities to help our most vulnerable patients have care plans in place.”
Although his risk of homelessness was averted, Mr Wright was left with little choice but to go to the hotel as he was unable to access housing assistance and benefits due to not meeting the Habitual Residence Test required to receive the assistance.
However, he has since qualified and is receiving support from the council.
A council spokesperson confirmed that it has reviewed the situation, and has been able to offer him emergency accommodation which he moved into on Tuesday, November 8.
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Mr Wright would now like to be reunited with his wife, who paid £314 of his hotel stay, with £250 paid using money from MacMillan Cancer Support.
He said: “I want to bring my wife and her children here, because it’s no longer safe due to the cartels.”
Beaches in Cancún are patrolled by Mexican National Guard due to the threat of crime posed by drug cartels.
He has a stepson aged 22 and a stepdaughter aged 26.
The family has said it would need a three bedroom home. Mr Wright continues to receive support from the council and Launchpad.
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