The Objective
Confined to areas that his motorised wheelchair would be able to access following a diagnosis of Motor Neurone Disease, the shower space in Ronnie’s bathroom suddenly became inaccessible.
Band of Builders aimed to adapt the family bathroom to create a wet room suitable for Ronnie's evolving needs.
6 Tradespeople
3 Days to Complete
£7,795 Delivery Value
3 days
Ronnie's project lasted 3 days and was made possible by 6 incredible volunteers
Background
Ronald Macleod, affectionately known as Ronnie, was diagnosed with advancing Motor Neurone Disease (MND) in June 2018. Ronnie's condition is deteriorating rapidly - he has now lost his speech and has reduced head control, while his mobility has also started to be affected. Ronnie is also at the stage where he can no longer swallow and is being fed via a tube.
Ronnie, now 63, became a plumber at the age of 15. At 21 he moved to a new company applying silicone sealant and spent the next 40 years in this field working on various projects.
Over the years, Ronnie developed arthritis which led to both hips being replaced and a knee replacement. When his speech started deteriorating in July 2017 it was initially thought that he had suffered a stroke. After a year of tests, Ronnie was diagnosed with a form of MND known as Progressive Bulbar Palsy (PBP) which involves the brain stem. This form of MND mainly affects the muscles in the throat, tongue and face and causes difficulties with speech, swallowing, coughing and clearing the throat. Additional symptoms include less prominent weakness in the arms and legs, and outbursts of laughing or crying (called emotional lability). At the time of diagnosis, Ronnie was given just 18 months to live. However, he has already surpassed doctors’ expectations.
On the same day Ronnie was diagnosed with MND his son was diagnosed with oesophageal cancer and given eight months to live. He died at the age of 40.
The Project
Following his release from The Prince and Princess of Wales Hospice in Glasgow on January 30th, 2020, the family's bathroom, especially the shower, was no longer fit for purpose, and it was necessary to convert a downstairs bedroom into a wet room suitable for Ronnie's needs.
In February therefore, Band of Builders teamed up with AKW Ltd, a company who specialises in accessible showers, bathrooms and kitchens to create, in 3 days, a fit for purpose bathroom at their home in Glasgow, Scotland.
All work was undertaken by a team of 7 tradespeople from across the country using materials donated by the construction sector.
For more information or for material or financial donations please contact projects@bandofbuilders.org
