A fundraiser has been set up in a bid to ease financial pressures on the owner of Penryn Cucina, deli and takeaway Stargazy, to take some time out to visit an ill family member.

Organised by the daughter of Ruth Cicale, Willow Cicale-Brown set up the fundraiser after her grandmother, who lives in France, was diagnosed with cancer.

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Ruth needs the funds to travel to France and for the upkeep of the place, without the fundraiser she will not be able to go and look after her mum.

Ruth desperately wants to be there but she has the added pressure of supporting her business which she single handily runs.

In order for her to be with her mother, she would have to close her business for a short period of time and therefore could not cover her monthly overheads.

Speaking to Nub News Ruth said:

"Originally she lied to me and told me she wasn't ill and then she let things slip during a conversation and I thought there was something going on.

"I am concerned for her because she lives on her own, sometimes in life you have to do what you can live with and I couldn't live with not trying to look after her.

"I have three daughters and when they were really young I was very ill on one occasion and she did come to my aid and look after them, I feel like you need to look after your parents."

After having to close because of lockdown, Ruth is now taking a steady amount of money again but needs to double that before she can start taking money for herself, "I can certainly keep all the balls in the air but I can certainly not stop working."

If Ruth stops working she won't be able to afford the rent on Stargazy or the rent on her own home.

If she was to go, Ruth would need to quarantine for two weeks when she returns which would add more pressure onto business.

She continued:

"I realise that life isn't perfect and I don't think I deserve to be able to go to my mothers and it should all be fine. I have never asked for anything in my life, but what else can I do but try. In a perfect world, I would go and look after her without having to worry."

Ruth has dedicated every waking hour over the past 4 years to her business, often working 80 hour weeks at times.

She is the manager, the cook and the cleaner, her business simply can't survive without her being there.

The target of the fundraiser is set at £5,000, if she was away for two months that would cover everything.

In just two days the total has gone over £1,000 to which Willow says she is really happy with.

Willow said:

"I think it really shows that there are people that support my mum, this is my mums business and it is so different from anything else in Penryn and really adds to the culture of the town.

"I feel like the situation is like choosing between your business, your livelihood and your family, it shouldn't be something that you have to choose but if you are self-employed that is the choice you make on a daily basis.

"If you get ill or anything happens to you your livelihood is directly affected."

Stargazy does not have the funds available to pay someone to look after the establishment while she's away.

Ruth is hoping to leave for France in early November.

Click here to see more from Stargazy.

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