A distraught mum says she was forced to take out credit just to afford to visit her eight-year-old son fighting for life in hospital, after the Government cut their benefits.
Kori Parkin-Stovell is in a critical condition as a result of complications following a heart transplant.
He was born with Hypoplastic Left Heart Syndrome, a terminal condition requiring three major open heart surgeries to increase survival.
He had the first two surgeries but wasn’t strong enough to survive the final one so he needed to have the transplant instead.
Mum Kerrylee Stovell has been at Kori's bedside after being told last night he may not make it.
Since having the transplant last year, Kori has suffered rejection issues and medics have fitted a pacemaker to try and regulate his heart rhythm.
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His family, from Derbyshire, say his Disability Living Allowance was stopped on October 23 because the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) said his heart transplant made him healthy again.
Kerrylee claimed the family became £1,100 a month worse off as a result of the cut and their mobility car provided by DWP was reclaimed.
She has been relying on taxis and had to obtain credit to fix up a secondhand car just to be able to visit her son.
The DWP confirmed to the Mirror Online the child's DLA had been cut when he was recovering well from surgery and because they hadn't known of his recent relapse.
But today the department said it was reinstating the DLA along with benefits that were cut as his health had deteriorated again.
Yesterday, Kerrylee described her son's condition as "hour by hour" as doctors work to stabilise him, before transferring him on to Newcastle for further treatment.
Kerrylee said yesterday: "Kori is about to go to theatre to be ventilated, he will have a pacemaker fitted to try and sort his heart rhythm.
"He's critical, the said his heart can stop at any point so they need to take the stress from his body.
"He won't be moved to Newcastle just yet as hes not stable and they don't have any beds as yet.”
Before the DWP's U-turn, a desperate Kerrylee took to a benefits advice Facebook group to appeal for help.
On Friday she wrote: "DWP who stopped every penny of my sons DLA, took our motorbility car away and said he was well and a normal healthy little boy.
"Maybe they should come along to hospital, where my son has just been admitted due to low kidney function and possibly rejection.
"Tell my little boy how healthy is he and assure me that I don't have to watch my child possibly fight for his life again. I cant cope anymore.
"We don't even have spare money to pay fuel to get home to get any possessions and come back to hospital again.
"I feel like sobbing. I have no fight left."
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Her post sparked outrage on Facebook.
One man wrote: "The system is flawed massively when injustices like this happen. So sorry your going through this my lovely."
Another user added: "This is so wrong. I am speechless. Wishing the best outcome for you and your family."
And one woman said: "I hope your son is soon feeling much better. DWP are a disgrace! Sending you lots of love and hugs."
After hearing about Kori's ordeal, fellow Facebook group members Trish Wallis and Kathy Lamprell decided to set up a page to support him.
A fundraiser has also been established which has raised £2,205 for the family.
Speaking today, Trish said: "Last night I'm afraid his mum was taken into a side room and told he may not make it through the night.
"She has been holding his hand, but he is still fighting thank god."
A DWP spokesperson said: “Our thoughts are with Kori and his family at this difficult time.
"His Disability Living Allowance has been reinstated in full, including arrears.”
The family's financial support will be backdated to September and they will now be eligible to reapply for one after the DWP's change of heart.
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