"Possibly there is a lesson there?"
Most certainly is. That it is unfair to expect a family to cope with such a major issue and that a caring society would ensure all helped via a welfare system.
If it is too costly for the NHS to cope with why isn't it too costly for the family to cope with ? And why, if the NHS is incapable, is this particular health issue "the one" ignored ? The system of social responsibility where all chip in to provide the services society needs, needs sorting instead of just pushing parts onto families to cope, or raiding the individual patient for whatever they have.
This country believes in society helping each other, via the tax system, it is not one of those that says everyone sorts themselves and it's their own fault if they get into problems.