The Objective
Mark Willerton followed in his dad’s footsteps and trained as a plumber before taking up a role as an operator and engineer with a well-known confectionary company. He continued plumbing and fitting bathrooms as a side hustle for many years before starting his own business in 2013.
After a freak incident when getting some screws out of his van in December 2019, the 50-year-old former powerlifter went to hospital, where he was initially told he’d fractured his right ankle. But it turned out that the tendons were completely ruptured. After four unsuccessful surgeries in three years, Mark and his surgeon agreed that the only option left was amputation below the knee on his right leg.
Following the amputation, Mark had a very painful fall on his stump when he fell in the small ensuite bathroom at his home. He realised that the bathroom needed to be bigger so he could safely use it, but he could not do the work himself in such a confined space.
9 Tradespeople
9 Days to Complete
Delivery Value £9,000
Background
In December 2019, self-employed plumber and bathroom fitter Mark was working on a job at a racecourse when he went to his van to get screws. He thought he’d just gone over on his ankle, so he wanted to finish the job before going home.
The issue persisted and he went to hospital, where he was initially diagnosed with a fractured ankle – but it was later confirmed that he’d completely ruptured the tendons in his ankle. That was the last time he was able to work.
He had surgery a few months later to knit the tendons back together, after which he was bed-bound for four months with his right leg elevated, as it couldn’t bear any of his 120 kg weight. To make matters worse, Mark is immune to opioids, meaning that pain relief such as morphine has no effect on him.
The first surgery proved unsuccessful – and a further two surgeries followed – a tendon transfer and fusion, with the third one to remove a screw inserted during the first surgery and another repair. Each of these also required months being bed-bound because his right leg had to remain elevated. None of them were successful.
In December 2022, Mark met with his surgeon, and they both reluctantly came to the same conclusion that the only option left open to them was amputation.
Since then, Mark has had further surgery to remove the nerve ball and painful lumps and some of the nerves that have grown back – so that he can use a prosthetic leg.
It’s been tough for Mark using a prosthetic leg, and he goes between that and a wheelchair.
The Project
In 2018, Mark converted his garage into an office and had a small ensuite bathroom built above. Despite him using a slimline wheelchair and a shower stool since the amputation, the bathroom is too small. This is making his life more hazardous because it increases his likelihood of falling.
The project focused on making the bathroom bigger and allowing Mark to use the facilities more easily. This involved making the bathroom into a wet room with a large shower with a fold-down seat, as well as widening the room to make the bathroom more accessible.
Nine volunteers worked on this, the 38th project delivered by BoB. It was supported by companies including Jewson, City Plumbing, Howdens, Avon Timber, MKM, Multipanel, Reconomy and Lee Brothers.
