Coronavirus would be life-threatening for either of Karen’s two young daughters, who both have cerebral palsy. Nix, 12, is fed through a tube, is blind, suffers seizures, has bladder and bowel problems and experiences severe chronic pain.
She’s just returned from hospital with pneumonia. Addy, nine, has a neurological disorder and also uses a wheelchair. At the moment, the girls’ usual agency carers are self-isolating, and their carers from the local hospice, Noah’s Ark in London, aren’t able to visit in case they expose the girls to the virus.
Karen is caring for her daughters single-handed – just one of millions of families with disabled people left struggling behind closed doors. “We are relying on our neighbours and volunteers to get us