A HEARTBROKEN mum of a terminally ill schoolgirl says she is using a wood burner to keep her daughter warm – as she can’t afford to keep the heating on.
Little Anastasia Hazell, 7, has just “days to live” after being diagnosed with an incurable brain tumour last March in Great Yarmouth, Norfolk.
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Her devastated mum Alexandra, 35, is struggling to keep her daughter warm in her final days after the cost of living skyrocketed.
She has been using a wood burner and heated blankets in an attempt to keep Anastasia comfortable as she battles the tumour.
Anastasia was a “happy and popular” girl before she was diagnosed with a Diffuse intrinsic pontine glioma (DIPG) tumour – which is highly aggressive and difficult to treat.
She is unable to speak or walk, and is cared for round the clock by nurses – as doctors didn’t think she would live past March.
Alexandra said: “The cost of living has just skyrocketed. We’ve had to turn the heating off twice.
“We just want to spend time with her but all my time is spent worrying about this.
“Anastasia is getting towards the end and we’re still having to rattle around for money.
“Our heating has gone off twice as we’ve run out of oil. It’s just impossible.
“It got so bad we were all camped in her room with a wood burner.
“We were throwing wood on the fire to make the room warm enough to get through the night.
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“The other time we ran out of oil we were having to put heated blankets on Anastasia because she was turning blue.
“We haven’t been able to give her a warm bath or shower sometimes. It’s crazy.
“There are weeks when we can’t afford basic things.
“We put away £1,000 for last Christmas but that was eaten up beforehand by food and heating costs.”
On April 1, energy bills rose by a shocking 54 per cent, the equivalent of around £700 a year.
Meanwhile, petrol prices rose by 39 per cent, an increase of £23 per tank.
Council tax, National Insurance, water, broadband, phone and TV bills also became more expensive.
It means the cost already borne by Brits will rise by another £2,620 in 2022.
She’s just so poorly. I’m thinking how many more days are we going to have.
Alexandra Hazell
The situation will likely worsen in October, when the energy price cap could increase by a further £788.
A quarter of all people living in the UK may be unable to turn their heating on from the autumn.
Anastasia is living with mum Alexandra, dad James, 35, and little brother Ryker, three, and was diagnosed with the condition a week after her sixth birthday.
Doctors said that Anastasia’s tumour was incurable and gave her around 12 months to live.
Alexandra added: “Anastasia was a perfectly normal girl. She was doing really well in school.
“She was a singer and dancer. Totally healthy and normal girl. She had a lot of friends and was one of the more popular girls in class.
“The diagnosis came completely out of nowhere. We noticed one day that she was a bit weak on one side.
“The doctors found a tumour and she was rushed to Addenbrooke’s Hospital. That’s when her whole life changed.
“She’s just so poorly. Last night she was struggling to breathe. I’m thinking how many more days are we going to have. It’s a nightmare.”
It was announced today that inflation has soared to 7% according to new data from the Office for National Statistics in another bitter blow to family finances.
The consumer price index (CPI) rose by another 0.8 percentage points in March, up from 6.2% in February.
Soaring energy bills and and petrol prices were the main drivers behind the rocketing rate of inflation, the ONS said.
Fuel prices have soared to record highs recently, mainly down to supply concerns due to the Russia-Ukraine crisis.
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