AFTER reading Newsday’s article on a 60-year-old cancer survivor from Fyzabad on the verge of being evicted from her apartment owing to late NIS payments, the area’s MP and members of the public have offered assistance. In addition, senior NIB (National Insurance Board) officials are reviewing her case.

Annmarie Moore, of Pepper Village, Fyzabad is a breast cancer survivor.

She had a mastectomy on her right breast in 2008 after being diagnosed with stage four breast cancer.

But in May, she began having the same types of pain she had before her initial diagnosis, in her left breast. This forced her to leave her job as a caretaker.

She said she is waiting for clinics to resume so she can have the relevant tests, having already visited the radiology department at the San Fernando General Hospital.

She signed up for retirement benefits in January and the NIB said it would contact her within 90 days.

She is yet to begin receiving payments.

Moore’s landlord, Leroy Chase, gave her a “bligh” for three months but is unable to continue to do so.

He recalled to Newsday that Moore was eagerly counting down the days after she signed the NIB form, but in vain.

She would have been evicted on Saturday if she couldn’t able to pay by then.

Her rent is $1,700 a month.

Newsday published this story online on Monday and it was in print on Tuesday.

Moore told Newsday that representatives from the office of Fyzabad MP Dr Lackram Bodoe contacted her on Monday evening.

They told her to visit the office on Tuesday morning to collect a hamper.

In addition, a Good Samaritan has written her a cheque to pay two months’ rent owed.

She told Newsday she was very thankful but she was still in a lot of physical pain as her painkillers had finished.

Bodoe told Newsday, “I asked her to come to the office to see how best we can help her.

“I know she also has a medical concern…Normally, for my constituents with medical issues, I would try to engage or write the authorities to see if some of the issues can be fast-tracked.

“I’m going to see if I could try and get, perhaps, a corporate donor within the constituency to assist her with the rent.”

He said he would also formally write to the NIB about the issue.

He said Moore's story is reflective of "what is happening to many citizens.

"On a daily basis, we get requests for assistance and we try our best to assist."