Kate Winslet heard about a Scottish mum facing rapidly increasing energy costs to operate her daughter’s life support equipment – so she stepped in to help.
The actress has made a £17,000 donation (almost US$20,000) to Carolynne Hunter’s GoFundMe page who had requested the assistance after she was warned by her local council that bills could hit that sum next year.
Carolynne’s 12-year-old daughter Freya lives with severe cerebral palsy and relies on special equipment to help her breathe. According to their crowd-funding page, the family has already been cutting back on energy usage to save costs so they can “keep Freya safe and comfortable” and they fear what lies ahead when winter hits.
“In March I was paying £225 a month, I struggled to pay that,” Carolynne writes on the crowd-funding page.
“Since April, I have had £400 a month taken for energy costs. As of 20th Oct £505 is what I am being forced to pay. Help!”
She also shared her concerns about frequent energy outages and requiring a generator to ensure Freya’s medical equipment can be powered during these times.
According to BBC News, Carolynne was overwhelmed by Kate Winslet’s generous donation:
“When I heard about the money, I just burst into tears – I thought it wasn’t even real,” she tells the media outlet.
Carolynne adds that Kate also reached out to her family to wish them well.
(Feature Image Credit: Tinseltown/Shutterstock)