THE family of a severely ill child say their lives are being made even harder by Bradford Council’s refusal to give her a disabled parking permit.

Four-year-old Aneesa Rahman has been battling a variety of severe health problems, including cancer, for much of her life.

She struggles to walk far, has to be given oxygen at all times, and is fed through a tube directly into her stomach.

And a weak immune system means if she catches a common illness, like chicken pox, it could prove fatal.

Parents Mohibur and Aisha Rahman say going out with Aneesa means carrying heavy equipment, often taking her in a buggy and being prepared to go back to the car at a moment’s notice – so it is hugely important to be able to park as close as possible to supermarkets, hospitals or other destinations.

The family, of Ashbourne Way in Bolton, Bradford, previously had a Blue Badge for parking which expired when Aneesa turned three.

They have since been left frustrated by Bradford Council’s refusal to renew it, after saying she now does not meet their “strict eligibility criteria” on disabilities.

Mr Rahman said the Council seemed unwilling to look beyond its rigid criteria, saying: “That’s what annoys us the most, to be honest. Just because she’s not in a wheelchair doesn’t mean she hasn’t got a disability.”

The family’s case had also received the backing of Macmillan Cancer Support.

In a letter to the Council, Macmillan family support worker Nichola Horsman, based at St Luke’s Hospital in Bradford, urged them to grant a Blue Badge, saying: “Aneesa is unable to walk even short distances without becoming breathless, which results in her needing a larger volume of oxygen therapy.

“Aneesa has a buggy to help with her mobility when not in a vehicle.

“Due to Aneesa’s complex health needs she needs a large amount of equipment to be with her at all times, to ensure her safety and wellbeing.

“Individually all of these items can be bulky and heavy to carry.”

But in a refusal letter, officers said that to get a Blue Badge, applicants had to qualify for the higher rate mobility component of disability living allowance.

Mr Rahman, an IT worker, said he wanted the Council to consider all cases on their own merits, and had invited Council officers round to his house to see Aneesa face-to-face, but had been told this was not what they did.

He said his family would appeal the decision, but he feared other people who deserved Blue Badges would be falling foul of the same strict rules.

Aneesa has a long list of medical conditions, including the genetic disorder DiGeorge Syndrome, a severely weakened immune system and lung abnormality bronchiectasis.

Common illnesses can be very serious for her – she once ended up in intensive care after contracting chicken pox.

On top of this, she has also been battling lymphoma cancer and has had to be treated with chemotherapy.

Her family, which also includes nine-year-old sister Faizah and one-year-old brother Mahammad Yusuf, are hoping she will get the all-clear from cancer soon, but know her other serious health conditions will remain.

Mr Rahman praised his daughter’s bravery, saying: “She has been fighting since she was born.”

He said he wanted the family to be able to take her out to wherever she wanted to go, and wished he wasn’t having to fight for a Blue Badge.

He said: “We don’t need this fight with the Council. My daughter has got a medical condition. We don’t know how long she’s going to last for. We have got a palliative meeting next Tuesday. This is something we don’t need.”

A spokesman for Bradford Council said: “The Council cannot comment on individual circumstances relating to specific cases.

“The Department of Transport provides guidance to councils about the scheme and this includes the eligibility criteria for a Disabled Parking Badge.

“Bradford would always follow this guidance and only award a Blue Badge where this criteria is met.

“If an application is declined, the applicant has the opportunity to request a review of the decision and this would be undertaken by an independent team.”

Teresa Karran, Macmillan Partnership manager for West Yorkshire, said: “Macmillan professionals are there to help people living with cancer. We know the impact of cancer is far-reaching, so Macmillan professionals will often help with a range of issues, including support with applying for the Blue Badge scheme.”