On 24 November, Stephen attended an event in Parliament, held by the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Children Who Need Palliative Care, and joined the call for further cost of living support for families whose children will have short lives.
At the reception, MPs heard from families of seriously ill children about how the rising cost of living is impacting them. The charity Together For Short Lives also explained how their ‘cost of living support fund’ is helping with energy bills and other necessary medical equipment.
An estimated 3,000 seriously ill children require long-term ventilation to stay alive and around 6,000 are dependent on ‘assistive technology.’ Together for Short Lives are calling on the Government to commit to additional funding to help families access better treatment and to reflect their higher energy costs.
Speaking after the event, Stephen said “I was pleased to attend the APPG’s reception on children who need palliative care. The rising cost of living is impacting families whose children will have short lives. I applaud Together for Short Lives for the work they are doing to support these families. However, the Government must also act now so that they can make the most of every moment they have together. There is no time to waste.”