“I went and had it cut out. But since I had the other cancers and then this very serious cancer, I was sort of freaking out,” he said.

As of a few weeks ago, Bindman, 81, stated that he had received the necessary certifications to apply for and benefit from the compensation fund. He estimates that it took a total of two to three years to obtain the certifications.

However, with the fiscal culling and staffing uncertainty, Bindman is unsure whether any payment from the fund will ultimately be made.

“People have suffered and deserved to be compensated. That money was allocated to compensate people who have had their lives changed,” he said. “A cancer diagnosis is not something to be smeared at. That’s serious stuff that kills you or could.”