The mother of three disabled children has spoken of how she is struggling to pay the running costs of vital medical equipment as electricity bills soar.
Three of Rita Dempsey’s five children – Shona, 21, Tom, 18, and 14-year-old Lily – have intellectual and physical disabilities. They are wheelchair users and have other medical conditions.
Rita, from Oylegate, Co Wexford, now fears her bi-monthly electricity bill will top €600 and feels there is no way to bring down the costs.
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She said: “With the increase in the energy bills, to say I’m feeling the pinch is an understatement. All the kids’ mattresses are air mattresses which use electricity. They also have oxygen concentrators and bipap machines.
“The option of turning things off just isn’t there. I can’t turn the heating off because the children have respiratory issues and can’t be cold. I have night staff that come in and I can’t expect them to work in the dark or the cold. It’s not even an option.”
Rita also worries over rising bin charges and, of course, soaring food prices. She said: “An expense that goes unnoticed by other people is refuse charges. I have three young adults who are doubly incontinent and use nappies.
“Instead of one weekly bin, I have three weekly bins. The bin charges are around €1,000 per year. We have the weekly family shopping bill as well as two kids that are peg-fed. The other is on another diet because she has swallow issues.
“Because I’m trying to keep them healthy, their food mostly comes from health food shops or organic sources. They’re the real costs.”
Rita also said transport costs are a big worry, adding: “We can’t use public transport or bikes. I have to drive a minibus that wouldn’t be my first choice of a family car anyway.
“It’s a necessity. The price of diesel is also going up and there’s car tax on top of that. I don’t have the luxury of forking out for an electric minibus.” Rita’s family will be featured in Ireland’s Forgotten Families on Virgin Media Three this Thursday.
The documentary shows how families that are already crippled financially by the non-medical costs associated with caring for a sick child are being disproportionately affected by rapidly increasing bills.
Meanwhile, the charity Cliona’s Foundation has seen a 30% increase in families seeking financial assistance. The foundation, set up by Brendan and Terry Ring following the death of their 15-year-old daughter Cliona from an inoperable brain tumour, has provided financial support to over 1,000 families across Ireland.
Brendan, who says the group needs to raise €500,000 to help 200 families this year alone, urges people to watch the hard-hitting TV documentary to see the financial hardship that families with sick children are facing.
He added: “It has never been more important to raise awareness for the forgotten families Cliona’s Foundation work with.
“The cost of living is rising daily. As a result, more families with seriously sick children or children with a life-limiting illness, who would likely not have needed our financial support before, are now coming to us for help.
“It is time to tell their stories so please, tune in to watch what we know will be one of the most inspiring programmes you will see in 2022.”
- Ireland’s Forgotten Families will air on Virgin Media Three on Thursday at 9pm.
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